AVON — — Stefanie and Greg Davis love their Z-CoiL shoes so much they decided to open a franchise.

The shoes are advertised as “shock absorbers for your body.” They’re made with a conical steel coil on the back of the heel, designed to reduce the rate of impact when stepping. Each shoe also has a built-in orthotic to distribute pressure equally on the foot.

“They’re really comfortable,” Stefanie said. “They’re designed to relieve pain in your feet, knees, hips, and back. And it helps with impact reduction. When you walk, you’re putting two to three times your body weight on your feet. These reduce the impact by 50 percent.”

Alvaro Z. Gallegos invented Z-CoiL in the 1980s at Albuquerque. An avid runner, he experienced typical injuries associated with the activity, but couldn’t find shoes that alleviated his pain. After realizing the source of his woes was impact, he cut open a pair of his shoes and experimented with a variety of springs before discovering the conical steel coil worked best.

Gallegos started using the outfitted shoes on his runs. After friends and family started asking for their own pairs, he set about mass-producing them. Z-CoiL was born.

The Davises were vacationing in Arizona about seven years ago when they found a Z-CoiL store. Greg, a Plainfield native, had such a fast growth spurt when he was younger that his ligaments didn’t catch up. As a result he had chronic knee pain. Stefanie has an extra vertebrate, causing major discomfort. Before wearing Z-CoiLs, she couldn’t stand for more than a half-hour at a time.

They tried them and immediately felt a difference.

“It kind of feels like you’re walking on marshmallows, so it takes all the pounding pressure off your feet, which reverberates through your knees, hips, and back,” Stefanie said.

There’s three Z-CoiL stores in Indiana, including the Davis’, located in The Gatherings strip mall at 8401 E. U.S. 36. Since opening in the fall, they’ve enjoyed numerous success stories. One woman, who was on long-term disability and in a wheelchair, now works a full-time retail job that requires she be on her feet a lot. Another with cerebral palsy now has a normal gait thanks to Z-CoiL. Yet another person avoided back surgery because of the shoes.

“We’ve had so many personal stories from customers where these shoes have changed their lives,” Greg said.

Stefanie added, “We never make any promises, but in most cases it can really help.”

The couple also has had doctors refer their patients to them. Z-CoiLs are popular with runners too, some of whom have used them in the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. The syndicated daytime TV show “The Doctors” named Z-CoiL the top health product of 2009.

Prices for the shoes start in the $200 range. They’re available in a variety of styles, including cowboy and hiking boots, men’s and women’s dress shoes, steel toe, clogs, and sandals. New fashions are offered annually. There’s also about 200 custom adjustments available.

“You’re paying for a shoe that can be totally customized to your foot,” Stefanie said.

Greg says that’s key to Z-CoiL’s utility.

“We make sure we watch (customers) walk to make adjustments,” he said. “That’s why we don’t sell them over the Internet or do phone orders. You have to come in the store and get fitted.”

While Z-CoiLs are pricey, they can last for years. The coils, which have an average life span of one and a half years, can be replaced at a cost of $40 ($60 to have them enclosed in foam). Adjustments are free at the Avon store, and customers can have their Z-CoiLs waterproofed every month and cleaned every three months at no charge.

“We’re growing really fast thanks to our customers,” Stefanie said. “Everything is word-of-mouth. We don’t let our customers leave angry. They actually come in now just to chat, and bring people with them.”

For more information on Z-CoiL, call 272-9264 or e-mail indyshoes@yahoo.com.

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Online:

www.zcoil.com



wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com