There’s no doubt that Strive sandals look and feel great, but what is the science behind their superior comfort? Well the secret is the inbuilt Biomechanical Footbed Technology (BFT) which has been carefully engineered by Podiatrists. Our lab has nearly 40 years of experience manufacturing foot orthotics to treat foot problems, so there’s not a lot we don’t know about great foot health!

One of the key points of BFT is our ergonomically designed heel cup, and this all starts with the shape and biological make up of your heel.

Shape

Firstly, the bottom of your heel is rounded in shape and this means a good deep heel cup is needed to support and cradle your heel bone. It makes no sense to have a sandal with a flat, shapeless heel area because this does not reflect the natural shape of your foot.

Structure

Secondly, between your skin and your heel bone (calcaneous), there are several layers of structures including a fat pad which acts as one of your body’s natural shock absorbers. If we walk a lot on hard flat surfaces without a supportive heel cup, this can cause the fat pad to flatten and spread slightly which makes it less effective to cushion and absorb shock. Over time, this can make you more prone to problems like heel pain.

Science

Lastly, there’s the “Biomechanics” of it all…When you walk, your heel hits the ground first and this takes the full impact of your body weight. It’s really important that this part of the foot is well supported to create a firm foundation for your first step. A good heel cradle means that as you start to walk, your feet, knees and back are likely to fall into a more stable position. It’s a bit like making sure that the table you’re sitting at is stable before you put your coffee cup or wine glass down!