When I created the Pushover® technology inside Reshod® Walking Shoes, my goal was to walk faster and win walking races. In order to be faster, I needed to improve the efficiency my walking gait and thought that footwear could help. I studied functional movement and learned about levers in a college physics class: long levers for power, and short levers for speed. That led to the creation of two footwear styles: the red Pushover® walking shoes, which have the long lever in the midsole components that help guide the foot through a full heel-toe rollover motion, and the blue Coach Carmen® racewalking shoes, which have the shorter, steeper-angled foam parts to encourage a faster turnover. Both styles have received plenty of great reviews from fitness walkers, power walkers and race walkers. What I didn’t expect was the customer feedback on pain-free walking. Apparently, people with foot maladies are on the constant hunt for shoes that will allow them to walk pain-free. Since I do not have a degree in the medical field, I do not make any claims on my products. However, my customers, do. Here is one story from Professor Nicholas Quarrier:
“Let me explain about myself. I am a 65 year old thin male who has always been quite active: jogging, biking, swimming, skating, and walking. My career spanned 40 years as a physical therapist, 30 years as a doctor of physical therapy, certified orthopedic specialist and college professor. I remember taking a foot course early in my career where the teacher said I would eventually have foot pain due to high arches, elongated second toes (Morton’s toe) and hyperextension in my metatarsal joints. Sure enough, over the past 5 years I have had chronic left foot metatarsal joint pain. I have tried to practice what I preach, including wearing orthotics, stretching, strengthening, minimalist shoes, barefoot training, metatarsal pads and more recently rocker shoes. All these interventions helped somewhat but for a year now the metatarsal pain has persisted even non-weight bearing as I flex my toes. A podiatrist has suggested that I suffer from plantar plate injury and that I might try wearing a Reshod Pushover shoe.
Now, I haven’t jogged in years and walk 3 miles most days of the week. Wearing a well known rocker bottom sneaker has helped my pain quite a bit, but the extreme cushioning they offer seems to make my balance and lateral stability a little shaky, plus the soles wear out rapidly.
I purchased a red Reshod Pushover Walking shoe. I have had them for over 2 weeks now and have been extremely impressed and happy. At first they felt very odd as compared to the highly cushioned sneakers I was accustomed to. I also have worn metatarsal pads daily. So I removed the insole and replaced it with my metatarsal pad insole. The feeling was incredible. Not only did I experience no pain whatsoever, but have much more stability. (I actually may remove the insole and replace it with the original Reshod insole)
I have always liked the cushioned feeling one gets from highly cushioned sneakers but the Reshod feeing is wonderful. There is no abnormal heel strike impact and there is no wobble in my ankles as compared to my rocker bottom sneakers. The zero drop mid sole with the toe spring allows for effortless roll over and toe off. I have been wearing the sneakers in daily wear besides my 3 mile walks and at the end of the day do not experience any metatarsal pain with toe flexion.
I highly recommend the Reshod Pushover for anyone suffering from metatarsal pain. I have not owned the shoe long enough to evaluate the Vibram sole wear and tear but feel that I have less heel strike impact and land more flat footed and therefore spread my weight out on more of the sole helping reduce the sole wear. I hope this long review helps others with foot pain.”
Thank you, Professor! Some of the kindest comments I’ve received on my product reviews have come from customers that claim Reshod® Walking Shoes allow them to walk pain-free. Their foot issues are diverse and not all have found relief, but if you have foot pain and want to see if these shoes might help, check with your medical provider to see if these might be right to you.
