SAN RAFAEL, Calif., April 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Heel pain is estimated to affect one in ten people over the course of a lifetime, an issue that costs a quarter of a billion dollars annually to treat in the United States alone.

A new study published by PLOS has shown that Vionic's contoured sandals, which feature a built-in orthotic footbed, designed by a podiatrist, display comparable effectiveness to their best-selling orthotic inserts in alleviating non-traumatic heel pain.* What's more, Vionic's sandals are proven to be more effective than flat flip flops in the temporary relief of heel pain. In a group of 150 adults, after 12 weeks of use, Vionic sandals were 68% more likely to offer improvement in daily activity and heel pain compared to flat flip flops.

"When shopping for sandals, one of the most important things is that you have arch support, and that the shoe has full contact with the foot," says leading podiatrist and Vionic Innovation Lab member Jackie Sutera."Flat shoes allow the feet to spread and collapse, stretching out the tissues (a common cause of plantar fasciitis). Proper arch support in sandals will keep the lower legs in their natural position and reduce pain."

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) found in a study that surveyed 1,000 US adults ages 18 and older, that the majority of Americans have experienced foot pain (77 percent), but only a third of those would seek expert care by a podiatrist. What's more alarming is that half of all adults say that foot pain has restricted their activities—such as walking, exercising, working, or playing with grandchildren—in some way. Vionic's contoured sandals offer an effective and easy solution for those suffering from foot pain, where they can achieve expert results without a physician visit.

With Vionic contoured sandals, wearers can have confidence that summer sandals can actually be a simple and effective strategy for managing heel pain. Unlike flat flip flops, they're specifically designed to provide support-- without sacrificing style.

About Vionic
Vionic footwear merges unparalleled biomechanical technology with versatile, modern design fit for every occasion. Developed by Phillip Vasyli, renowned Australian podiatrist and founder of Orthaheel Technology, Vionic shoes help promote a more active lifestyle. Vionic's footwear and orthotic inserts are also endorsed by noted integrative medicine expert, Dr. Andrew Weil.  With premium materials, artful construction and streamlined silhouettes, Vionic's men's and women's collections provide standout style with exceptional comfort and functionality.

The Vionic footwear collection is available at select quality retailers across North America, including Nordstrom, Dillard's, Belk and Zappos.com, and at www.VionicShoes.com. For samples or additional information about Vionic with Orthaheel Technology, please contact amy(at)bigpicpr(dot)com. For more information please visit www.vionicshoes.com.

*Based on a peer-reviewed clinical study funded by Vionic on patients experiencing moderate, non-traumatic heel pain. To read the full study, visit http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0142789

SOURCE Vionic

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