GelThotics, a New Insert Especially Designed to Address Sports Foot Injuries in Children (And Great for Active Parents)-- Product Review and Giveaway

As more young kids take up sports, there is a growing incidence of foot injuries. Much of it is connected to the fact that while children have the same individual needs as adults, their feet tend to be more flexible, which means that arches aren’t yet fully capable of withstanding prolonged pressure. This is especially true for the transverse arches (usually defined as the bridge of the foot), which is so important for development that as the decades go by, foot experts believe it may be as important as any of the four major arches of the foot. Without the appropriate support in children’s feet, ground forces can increase the risk of musculoskeletal wear or damage.

Since no shoe or insert has been able to effectively address this issue in children, orthotics expert Michael Kendall, who has over 30 years of foot dynamics research expertise, recognized that children involved in sports requiring constant pounding, such as running and soccer, required an insert that allows the entirety of the transverse arch to be supported while minimally effecting shoe fit and providing state-of-the art shock attenuation. His solution is the GelThotic®, which has a patented "First Ray Extension" that is fundamentally focused on reducing foot injuries in active children.

“The GelThotic provides the needed support without the hard surfaces associated with conventional orthoses, which are usually too hard and too high for the arch, destabilizing the foot, ankle, knee and hip, leading to injury. This is exacerbated by the design of children’s athletic shoes which do a poor job of addressing the unique musculoskeletal of children’s still developing feet,” said Kendall.

The GelThotic is made from medical grade Silicone, which not only provides more support than a conventional orthotic, but does it with softness and reduction of friction and shear forces which Silicone naturally does better than any other material. It help retain the integrity of the natural fat pad under the heel, absorbing shock, reducing the effect of friction, and stabilizing the heel, which are all very important for children’s feet.

The GelThotic is made from SupportXGel, a modified ultra-soft long-life silicone gel that helps control pronation with stability through every phase of the gait cycle and provides one of the highest levels of shock reduction ever tested.

The GelThotic takes a three –phase approach to preventing foot pain in children.

Phase I -- the cut-out design utilizes a perimeter cradling technique to simultaneously provide maximum shock absorption while keeping the heel low to increase stability and support without changing shoe fit.

Phase 2 -- the product creates an arch support made from the highest grade one hundred-percent pure medical silicone so it forms to the shape of the arch.

Phase 3 – the product’s biomechanical design redistributes pressure and shock across the forefoot without altering the fit of the shoe.

The GelThotic even takes a unique approach to its insertion in the shoe. It has a cobra-like design with contours that protect and pad only the parts of the foot prone to pain – arch, heel and forefoot. It slips under the existing shoe insole so it is highly effective in any running or cross training shoes, and is lightweight and washable.

My Thoughts:  I was sent a sample to try out for myself and my daughter.  My daughter didn't take to having the GelThotics in her shoes, so I had a friend's son, who plays soccer try it out and let me know his thoughts.  He had been complaining to his mom about foot pain he was experiencing during soccer practice while wearing his cleats.  After wearing these gel inserts in his soccer cleats for 2 practices and a soccer match, he told his mom that his feet felt so much better.  He had better support in areas of his feet that took the most beating while on the field.  He wondered why his new cleats didn't come with a support insert like this of the GelThotics, but will wear these inserts for now on while playing soccer and other sports he partakes in.  His mom was pleased with the results and on how satisfied her son felt with these GelThotic inserts.  She also liked the price.  In the past, she too her son for a similiar sports foot injury/complaint to a podiatrist and ended up spending hundreds of dollars on custom inserts that eventually wore out and broke down.  And, after trying several name brand inserts that she picked up in retail stores, none of these offered the support and comfort, as seen with Kendall's GelThotic inserts.  

As for me, I put these in my walking shoes and spent the week trying them out.  Usually, I would give my thoughts on how these worked while running, but being 33 weeks pregnant, I am limiting my activities to walking and taking care of an active toddler at home.  I have to say, however, that I found these inserts to work great.  They were easy to insert and remove and you received support where you needed it most.  Having plantar facitis, I have tried professional molded inserts, over the counter inserts and other inserts that I bought online, but each one came with their own problems -- Either they didn't work like they said they would, they wouldn't fit into my narrow shoes, they only lasted a short time or they were uncomfortable to wear -- but, not Kendall's GelThotics -- they performed like they said they would, offering optimum support for my tired and sore feet.  Spending hours a day on my feet with my daughter and being pregnant hasn't helped my feet.  But, after one week with these inserts in, my feet are less sore, as they are receiving the proper support, and at the end of the day when I take my shoes off, I don't notice any swelling like I would have if I had used other inserts.  What an amazing product/invention the Kendall GelThotic inserts are.  I can't wait until baby #2 comes and I can get back out there and run to lose the baby weight.  If these inserts perform well while I walk and stand on my feet all day, I can only imagine how great they will make my feet feel and the much needed support I will receive just by having them in my running shoes.

---BUY NOW---

The GelThotic begins at children’s size 3 and goes up to size 15 in men and 10.5 in women's show sizes, and retails for $59.99. They are available online by visiting: kendallgelthotics.com. Kendall GelThotics is offering is offering a 25 percent discount for my readers who order on-line and use the code “kidpromo.”

---GIVEAWAY---

This is a unique giveaway.  One lucky Inspired by Savannah  reader will win a free pair of GelThotics based on a tweet or essay submitted to the GelThotics site that describes the kind of foot issues their kid(s) are experiencing. To enter, head on to GelThotics and share your foot issues story, or follow GelThotics on Twitter and leave a tweet.  GelThotics will then choose the most original tweet or essay and award that entrant with a pair of GelThotics for their child.

Disclosure: I was sent samples in order to write up an honest review. The views above are mine and mine alone.