The athletic shoes as a therapeutic aid

Sports shoe research discovered several possibilities of influencing the heel-to-toe walking behaviour of the foot which can be made use in the construction of therapeutic shoes. Early functional therapy aims at imparting moderate load stimuli to the injured and/or surgically reconstructed tissue to ensure quicker orientation of the collagen fibres of the cicatricial structures and an improved blood supply to the tissue. Modified sports shoes with variable mobility restriction and functional heel-to-toe walking support of the foot have become a meaningful therapeutic aid in the treatment of fibular ligament lesions and injuries to the Achilles tendon, both in orthopaedic and neurological problems requiring support of the sequential movements of the foot (arthrodeses, arthroses, peroneal paralyses [dangle foot], etc.) Early functional after treatment ensures that moderate load stimuli are exercised on the tissue while avoiding peak tensions, thus shortening the rehabilitation period with minimal inactivity atrophies and hence enabling quicker return to normal daily activities.