Research

Z-CoiL has three special parts that lead to its’ exceptional performance for those seeking relief from the pain and stress of walking on hard surfaces.

  • A patented conical coil suspension system. This unique replaceable spring unit not only gives the user four times more compression distance that ordinary footwear but it can be adjusted to correct moderate or severe pronation by rotating the coil in 90 or 180 degrees. The primary cause of foot, leg and back pain is excessive impact.
  • An orthotic. Z-CoiL features the world’s only built-in orthotic.  This orthotic is critical in protecting the plantar ligaments in the foot. Flexible shoes are a primary contributor to plantar fasciitis and heel spurs. 
  • A rocker forefoot. Thick forefoot cushioning and rocker sole in the forefoot make rolling off the front of the foot soft and easy. Flat shoe require excessive bending in the forefoot and make pushing off each foot difficult.

Because Z-CoiL is so unique – it performs very differently from conventional shoes. The primary difference shows up in the two independent studies below. Z-CoiL footwear dramatically reduces impact versus conventional shoes. Impact is the primary cause of foot leg and back pain.

New Mexico Highlands University

​Ergonomic Implementation to Reduce Plantar Pressure

This research study was conducted in 2008 as part of the Masters program in the area of Human Performance and Sport at New Mexico Highlands University. NMHU researcher Wayne Scheler teamed up with Z-CoiL Footwear and Novel Electronics to evaluate the ergonomic benefits of Z‑CoiL® shoes worn as occupational footwear.Industrial employees are on their feet 8 to 10 hours per day. This causes an enormous amount of pressure to be placed on the plantar surface of the feet. When external weight is added, this pressure is multiplied.Past studies of Z‑CoiL® footwear have shown a longer force impact curve, which reduces jarring forces, while the heel coil also provides a 40% kinetic energy return. By studying plantar pressure and the effects of an ergonomic device such as Z‑CoiL®, the NMHU researchers were able to gain a better understanding of the effects caused by lowering the initial pressure.For this study, 19 participants were selected from a variety of industrial occupations. Wearing carefully fitted Z‑CoiL® shoes, these subjects were monitored as they moved from station to station, modeling a typical production line. Novel’s Pedar system and data acquisition software were used to capture and analyze real-time data on the pressure the test subjects experienced across the whole foot, the heel, the midfoot, and the forefoot.According to the data, the plantar regions recorded in Z‑CoiL® shoes showed a statistically significant decrease in mean peak pressure. The whole foot averaged a 13% reduction, with a 16% reduction at the heel, 14% at the midfoot, and 0.05% in the forefoot.The reduction of foot pressure is a key element in reducing pressure throughout the kinetic chain. It can be assumed that a decrease in foot pressure transcends the foot and reduces pressure in the ankle, knee, hip, and low back.

In Conclusion
With the ergonomic implementation of Z‑CoiL® shoes, the plantar surface of the foot experienced a significant decrease in pressure. This decrease helps fight fatigue and injury, while improving joint health.

 

Los Alamos National Laboratory. 

LANL is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, located in Los Alamos, New Mexico. 

Evaluation of Z-Tech (DBA Z-CoiL) Running shoes

Conclusions
The pulse curves for the Recoil running shoes were typically of longer total duration than the curves for the elastomer cushioned running shoe. Pulse durations were observed to be as much as 50% longer for the Recoil shoes in some cases. This was particularly true for the lower energy impacts that would be typical of relatively light weight runners (100-150 lbs.) or heavier runners with relatively little vertical displacement in their running style (<2 inches).

The longer duration pulse curves for the Recoil shoes were due to the curves being generally more bell-shaped than the curves generated by the elastomer cushioned running shoe. The curves for the typical running shoe tended to have a steeper slope at the onset of the shock pulse and lacked the transitional slope that was observed in the curves for the Recoil running shoes. This was interpreted to represent a more gradual onset of shock forces in the Z-CoiL shoes as compared to the elastomer cushioned running shoe.

The energy return levels of the Z-CoiL running shoes were not specifically measured as part of the testing procedures. This was due to a lack of high speed video equipment that would be required to precisely quantify the energy return levels. However, based on the magnitude of the second impact pulse seen on several of the pulse plots, it can be stated with relative certainty that the energy return for the Z-CoiL running shoes falls somewhere in the range of 40% – 50%.

Summary
The date obtained in this project seems to indicate one area in which the design of the Recoil shoe may be an improvement over that of the typical elastomer cushioned running shoe. The initial impact forces appear to be less abrupt in the Z-CoiL shoes, resulting in a reduction of the jarring effect to the foot and the lower leg of a runner as the heel impacts the ground. The fact that the peak forces are equivalent to those of the traditional running shoe may be offset by the longer period of time required to reach these peaks after initial impact.

Sandia National Laboratories

Cybernetic Systems Integration

Org. 6633

SAND No. 2005-5045 P

Abstract
This report summarizes findings from a gait comparison study that was performed at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico in July of 2005. Test subjects were outfitted with two kinds of shoes, Z-Coil and a leading competitor. They walked and jogged while acceleration data was collected. The results showed significantly lower mean peak accelerations in the Z-Coils when walking (13.34%, P value <0.0001) and jogging (17.2%, P value <0.0001). It is proposed that these reduced accelerations may be a reason why wearers of the Z-Coil shoes report reduced joint pain compared to traditional elastomer-based footwear.

Key Finding

The accelerations in Z-Coil shoes were significantly lower for all individuals who did not bottom out the spring. Accelerations averaged 13% lower while walking and 17% lower while running.​