Before the Birkenstock family started making sandals, they made orthopedic shoe inserts. It all began with a German cobbler named Konrad Birkenstock (descended from a long line of cobblers, the earliest recorded name being Johan Adam Birkenstock who was born in 1754). Konrad Birkenstock owned two shoe stores in Frankfurt. At the time, shoes were made with a flat insole despite the obviously arched surface of the bottom of the feet. Konrad invented the first tool that enabled cobblers to create shoes with contoured insoles that were customized to the curvature of their customers’ feet. These customized shoes were popular for a while but ultimately could not compete with the new wave of footwear mass-produced in factories. Konrad went to the drawing board again and this time (in 1902) developed a flexible insole that could be inserted into flat-soled shoes to provide arch support. This brand of inserts was developed into a line of sandals in 1964, which eventually made it to the USA 1967.
Birkenstock sandals are incredibly comfortable thanks to an orthopedically minded footbed. Made from a combination of cork, latex and jute, the footbed of the sandal is designed to absorb shock. As one Birkenstock representative puts it, wearing a Birkenstock sandal should give the impression of walking on “wet sand”. Other features of the sandal include a raised toe bar designed to assist the toes in their natural gripping motion, and the heel cup that helps to keep the foot in place.
Birkenstocks are traditionally popular among dentists, professors, etc. – people who have to spend all day on their feet. Recently the sandals have been viewed as a fashion item with model Heidi Klum designing for Birkenstock and sporting the sandals herself. These shoes, which are comfortable in any situation, are especially helpful for people suffering from foot deformities or who are convalescing after foot surgery. The shoes provide optimum comfort and hold the foot in place. For people with bunions or hammertoe, Birkenstocks enable you to give your toes some wiggle room without compromising on orthopedic support (a problem with most flat-soled sandals). Clogs or closed-toe shoes are also available for those who need to protect their toes from injury.
Podiatrists recommend Birkenstocks for foot conditions as varied as: corns, calluses, bunions, hammertoe, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, metatarsalgia, neuromas and toe problems.
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