The benefits of Birkenstocks
Nowadays, Birkenstocks are well known, but you might not understand that the Birkenstock family produced their first footwear more than 230 years ago in Germany. We all know of their reputation for producing healthy sandals, but you might be surprised at how many special qualities Birkenstocks actually can lay claim to.
Let's start with the heel cup of the Birkenstock footbed, which reduces stress on the front part of the foot by keeping it in optimal position, in contrast to most shoes which raise the heel. The raised heel can result in conditions like metatsalgia, which we'll discuss later on. Also featured on the footbed is what's called a 'toe bar'. This lets the toes naturally grip the footbed, and combined with the flexible nature of the sole, encourages a form of natural exercise for the foot. The footbed uses natural materials such as jute and cork in it's construction.
The paramount concept behind Birkenstock shoes and sandals is that they are constructed to match the shape of the human foot. Naturally, it follows that they are available in narrow and wide widths to accommodate the majority of feet. Looking at a Birkenstock footbed, you'll see that it's highly contoured to follow the shape of the human foot, with curves, bumps, and depressions in the places that your foot needs them.
While most people find the padding on the regular footbed fine, some people would like a little more cushion, and Birkenstock's soft footbed is for them. Those who need a little extra arch support can find a high-arch version of the footbed in some styles.
The Birkenstock footbed is roomy to allow the foot room to spread out and relax. This is useful when treating conditions like claw toe or hammer toe. And roomy shoes are also very helpful in curing or avoiding the previously alluded-to metatarsalgia (inflammation and pain in the front part of the foot). As well, it's known that a complaint known as Morton's neuroma, which is when bones in the forefoot constrain a nerve, can receive great benefit from footwear with ample room.
Nowadays, Birkenstocks offer styles to suit everyone. It's not like the days when Birkenstocks only came in a couple of styles and everyone knew them by sight. The Birkenstock brand now covers a number of different lines of shoes, boots, and of course, sandals. Everybody can find a choice that meets their own needs and style preferences. Naturally, you have the original Birkenstocks, but complementing them, you can now choose from the workplace-oriented Alpro, the spirited Birki's, the fashionable (and comfortable, of course) Papillio or Tatami, and the stylish Footprints with wearer-removable footbed.
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Finally, The durable construction that goes into Birkenstocks mean they'll last a long time, and when they do finally begin to get a little long in the tooth, they can be repaired. If there's not a facility in your area, the internet will show you repair shops that operate through mail order.
Although Birkenstocks are available in most cities and online, in recent years the online shoe store of Happy Feet Plus has emerged as the place with the largest selection of Birkenstock shoes, sandals and clogs in America. The Web Site is happyfeet.com. http://happyfeet.com
