MUGI – My Unique Gift Idea

One day, I saw my father-in-law walk into a the living room of my parents house and quip, “Maybe these will put some spring in my step.” Then he showed us all his new shoes. They were tennis shoes, but they had a large spring attached to the back, as if it were some kind of high heel. (He loves stupid jokes based on punning clichés. The stupider, the better, as far as he’s concerned.)

Known as “pain relief footwear,” Z-Coil® shoes are designed to reduce pain related to the impact that occurs from running and walking. I mean, what else are you going to do with your shoes? Jumping, dancing, skydiving, skipping, walloping, throwing them at former President Bush. All of that.

When I saw these shoes, I decided instantly that I was going to buy a pair. Not for the purpose of pain relief, though that is always a plus, but just so I could get more attention and have an easy way of opening up conversations. These are only sold at authorized Z-coil® stores dotted throughout the United States, with specialized salesmen trained to match the spring to your specific step.

There are two main advantages a Z-Coil® has over other shoes. The first is that it makes walking easier by reducing shock and redistributing energy back to your leg when you bring your foot back up. Second, when you buy a pair of these, the shoe-fitter guy puts you on two scales. One for your left foot, and one for your right, to see which foot you put more weight on naturally. He then adjusts the spring accordingly, while also taking a look at how you step – either inside or outside your heels. The wear on the heel of your shoe is the best indicator for that.

The springs then center your swagger and redistribute your energy so you walk on the middle of your heel so back problems can be avoided in the future, hence the pain relief offered by these shoes.

Z-Coils® retail for about $200, but they last for many years. I still have mine, and no damage has been done yet. I can even ride a bike in them. The platform on the bottom can be easily replaced once it gets worn down, allowing you to save money on repurchasing the shoe. They come in basically every style, from sandal to running to hiking to dress shoe to boot. Double meaning there – did you catch it?