CES 2023: Smart insole for high heels relieves foot pain

By Oliver Last updated Jan 5, 2023

A smart insole makes wearing high heels more comfortable and can potentially reduce the risk of long-term health problems.

The insole, created by the Italian company GAIT-TECH, cushions the impact of walking and redistributes pressure throughout the foot.

It has been integrated into the stiletto in the manufacturing stage, so it is not visible and does not move strangely underfoot.

The shoe design was done by Italian shoe designer Diego Dolcini, who has previously worked with brands such as Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci.

The solution, which is integrated into the insole of the high heels during the manufacturing stage, cushions the impact and redistributes the pressure to make the high heels more comfortable while preserving the design.

High heels can cause long-term damage to your feet.

Wearing high heels can cause stress fractures, lower back pain, pinched nerves, muscle pain, heel deformity, and many more problems.

Many of the problems are caused by the increased pressure that high heels place on the ball of the foot, particularly the metatarsal bones. The higher the heel, the greater the pressure.

Some of the most common symptoms that people experience when wearing high heels include leg pain, foot pain, and back pain.

The solution will be on display at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, though it’s unclear when the shoes with the insole will be available to buy.

GAIT-TECH told MailOnline that a pair will cost less than 20 euros (£17), a price that is “very comfortable for designers and manufacturers as it includes both the device and its integration”.

According to the Capri-based company, its ‘biomechanical innovation’, which is made from recycled polymer, will improve women’s health, relieve pain and prevent injury.

It is already known that wearing high heels for long periods of time can cause stress fractures, lower back pain, pinched nerves, muscle pain, heel deformity and more.

“Heeled shoes have always represented the best in terms of image, sensuality and femininity,” said Andrea Goldoni, co-founder and CEO of GAIT-TECH.

“But at the same time, they have always been synonymous with discomfort and pain when worn for a long period of time.

“The GAIT-TECH insole solution provides a comfort and balance experience never before felt in heels, allowing women to wear shoes with better cushioning and less pain involved.”

In addition to relieving pain in parts of the foot, the insole will make the gluteal and abdominal muscles “less swollen and more toned” by giving the wearer “an active and dynamic gait.”

The has been integrated into the stiletto at the manufacturing stage, so it’s not visible and doesn’t flap weirdly underfoot.

GAIT-TECH says it is the first company to integrate such a device into the insole of high heels during the production stage without compromising “design and stylistic aspects.”

The shoe design was done by Italian shoe designer Diego Dolcini (pictured), who has previously worked with brands including Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci.

CES 2023: L’Oréal device uses AR to draw eyebrows

L’Oréal has introduced a new product that uses augmented reality (AR) to draw eyebrows.

‘Brow Magic’, unveiled at CES this week, has been developed with Prinker, a firm that specializes in non-permanent printed tattoos.

The technology scans the user’s face and makes recommendations on the best ways to shape your brows.

GAIT-TECH says it is the first company to integrate such a device into the insole of high heels during the production stage without compromising “design and stylistic aspects.”

He has received an international patent from the Italian Patent and Trademark Office and has also been certified by Roberto Bevoni at the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute in Bologna.

According to GAIT-TECH, around 70 per cent of women between the ages of 18 and 68 say they wear high heels, but in doing so they are ‘sacrificing their health for aesthetics’.

High heels place the entire weight of the wearer on the front of the foot, putting extreme pressure on the ends of the metatarsal bones and the joints between the toes and feet.

This increases the risk of stress fractures and neuromas, the thickening of tissue around a nerve in the foot, among other possible injuries.

The insole was created to redistribute this increased load between the metatarsal heads, making the work of the 1st and 5th metatarsals more effective, and reducing the load pressure on the other three.

High heels place the entire weight of the wearer on the front of the foot, putting extreme pressure on the ends of the metatarsal bones and the joints between the toes and feet.

There have already been a number of studies identifying the health risks associated with long-term use of heels.

While wearing heels initially strengthens the ankle muscles, the same muscles weaken over the long term, leading to injury, according to a 2015 study led by experts from the University of North Carolina.

Previous studies have suggested that high heels can lead to problems such as hammer toes (where the toes become permanently bent), muscle fatigue, and osteoarthritis (“wear and tear” of the joints).

Despite the emerging health risks, the UK government in 2017 rejected calls to introduce a new law to ban companies from telling women to wear high heels to work.

According to GAIT-TECH, about 70 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 68 say they wear high heels, but by doing so they are “sacrificing their health for their aesthetics.”

The matter was debated in Parliament following a petition started by English actress Nicola Thorp, who was sacked as a temporary receptionist in London after refusing to wear high heels.

The Paris Smith law firm advises employers to “consider the health and safety implications” of dress code requirements.

High heels are often a symbol of aesthetic power and convey the image of seduction and femininity, a study 2017 by researchers from the University of Minho found.

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Employers MAY force women to wear high heels at work after government rebuffs ‘sexist’ dress code campaign

Employers can still force women to wear high heels to work after the government rejected an appeal to ban the ‘sexist’ dress code.

The government said the current law, which allows employers to impose a dress code on their employees, is “adequate.”

In 2016, a campaign was launched by English actress Nicola Thorp, who revealed an experience she had had at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a temporary worker.

Thorp was sent home from the temp job when she arrived wearing flats and refused to wear heels.

Ms Thorp launched a petition in an attempt to make it illegal for companies to force female employees to wear high heels.

Over six months, Ms. Thorp’s petition gathered more than 152,000 signatures.

When the issue was debated in Parliament on March 7, 2017, the government said that it “takes this issue very seriously and will continue to work hard to ensure that women are not discriminated against in the workplace due to outdated attitudes and practices.”

The government said the law already prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender and that “dress codes must include equivalent requirements for both men and women.”

It says it will issue new dress code guidance “to clarify the law for employers and raise awareness among employees.”

Ms Thorp said: ‘It’s a shame they don’t change the legislation. You shouldn’t depend on people like me.

‘The government should take responsibility and put it into law.

“I think it’s a bit of a dodge.”