What is Arch Support?

WARNING: Once you’ve gotten used to the comfort of Arch Support, you won’t be able to go back. 

Arch Support is to comfort shoes like what seasoning is to a delicious meal. You can have a comfort shoe without it, but something is going to feel off. While Arch Support may not be “comfortable” in a traditional sense (trust us, it grows on you) like cushioning or soft materials, it provides a base for wellness that will change your life.

How does Arch Support Work?

Arch Support works by correcting the natural alignment of your body. Instead of over-or-under pronating (your foot rolling either inward or outward when you take a step) everything becomes aligned in a straight line. 

This makes a huge difference when you consider you’re taking upwards of 10,000 steps a day. One unaligned step is fine, but the build-up of walking that way can cause massive ramifications to not just your feet and ankles; but your knees, hips & back. 

Arch Support is up there with one of the best things you can do for your health, and it’s also the easiest! Pick up a pair of just about any of the shoes in the Comfort Co range or some orthotics to slip in the shoes you have now and you’ll be feeling the difference in no time. 

The history of Arch Support

Over the last century or so Arch Support has come into its own due to technological advancements and innovation. But it has a rich, almost surprising history dating back thousands of years! It has been a crucial element in the evolution of footwear design and has played a huge part in the understanding of human biomechanics.

There is evidence of ancient civilisations using layers of wool in sandals to help support the arch and provide cushioning. However, the earliest confirmed example of Arch Support goes all the way back to ancient Egypt in 1500 BCE! We have carbon dated sandals with raised heels and arch supports crafted from plaited papyrus leaves. These designs helped protect feet from rough desert terrain, providing comfort during long journeys. 

Jump forward 1,000 comfortable years to Ancient Greece in the year 500 BCE where Hippocrates “The Father of Medicine” wrote about the importance of Arch Support and properly fitted shoes to maintain overall health. 

Unfortunately, Hippocrates' lessons seemed to go ignored (as far as we can tell) for the next 1,000 years. Until we moved into the Dark Ages (around 500 AD). It may have been The Dark Ages for Europe, but it was an early Renaissance for Arch Support as shoemakers began incorporating Arch Support into their designs.

Then came the Industrial Revolution! The advent of shoemaking machinery meant that shoemakers could standardise and mass-produce footwear with Arch Support built in. Further innovations in materials like rubber and steel only increased quality and allowed for greater flexibility and support. 

From there began the age of the Podiatrist! Foot health was finally being taken seriously and the technology followed. Doctors were prescribing and producing custom orthotics to treat a myriad of ailments. However, these treatments were generally reserved for the upper echelon as they were very expensive. 

In walks (pun intended) Dr William Mathias Scholl, the founder of the now world famous Scholl brand. He believed that foot health should be for everyone, so in 1904 he invented the Foot-Eazer, the world's first arch-support insert. This was a game changer for the common man, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Some Arch Support is better than no Arch Support but there was still a leap between an everyday insert and a custom one from a Podiatrist. That gap was bridged in a huge way in 1979 when Phillip Vasyli (founder of Vionic) invented the world’s first heat moldable orthotic! While these didn’t quite do the job of a custom Podiatry made insert, it was close. Providing relief and comfort for millions. 

The future of Arch Support

The future looks bright for Arch Support. Modern materials, 3D printing and cutting edge biomechanical research is moving the technology along in leaps and bounds. In recent years consumers have been demanding a higher focus on comfort, and The Comfort Co. is keeping up. 

The secret is out! The Comfort Co promises to remain on the forefront of this ever changing (and life changing) technology. Bringing you the very best in technology as it comes, while never neglecting style.