The Secret To Curating Our Healthy Footwear Collection

Healthy Footwear at Align Custom Fit Footwear & Footcare

Not all shoes are created equal. Some will help you, and some will hurt you. Yes, you read that right.

Beyond the complexities of your unique biomechanical structures, from the moment you put on shoes, you are adding a new variant in your body alignment that changes your entire kinetic chain. Different shoes will affect different people differently. The integrity of our footwear lies especially in how we select each model. As experts in healthy footwear construction, we carefully consider the structure and mechanics of footwear according to our three main Align Orthotics™, or AO3, criteria.

Additional Reading

Always keeping a pulse on fashion trends worldwide, each season, we meet with fashion brands to preview their upcoming collections, choose the top trends, then keep only those that meet our AO3 Criteria. We recommend pairing your favorite pairs with our custom-made Align Orthotics™, which are designed based on meticulous analysis of both your feet and biomechanics, as well as the dimensions of the shoes themselves. At Align Custom Fit Footwear & Footcare, we do custom orthopedic footwear differently. To learn more about healthy footwear Mississauga patients can read on about our meticulously designed AO3 criteria.

We Developed Our AO3 Criteria To Help You Shop Smarter.

What are the AO3 Criteria for healthy footwear?

For our Align Showroom, we curate shoe styles from top designers that pass our rigorous Align Orthotics™ (AO) three-point criteria for providing healthy support and balance. In addition to offering a range of healthy footwear in our showroom, we also offer shopping tutorials to help you select the best shoes to support your unique biomechanics. With our wardrobe analysis service, you can even have your existing shoe collection assessed to ensure you are not wearing shoes that cause damage and discomfort to your musculoskeletal system.

AO Criteria 1: Reinforced Heel Counter

The strength of the shoe that surrounds your heel determines your rearfoot alignment; the stronger it is, the better. A strong heel counter not only provides a suitable foundation for the Align OrthoticTM to function in, but it also provides the guidance for your calcaneus (heel bone) to sit properly, with or without an Align OrthoticTM. This feature is most important for Pes Planus and Pes Cavus foot types. It is also beneficial during extended periods of walking.

AO Criteria 2: Stiffened Shank

The structure of the midsole of a shoe is critical. While the foot is flexible and dynamic, the midsection of the shoe should not be. A shoe with a stiff shank will aid in improved balance, provide a suitable base for your foot to function in, and minimize excessive mobility from the foot once it fatigues. This AO2 feature is important for all foot types and footwear, except when athletes are using footwear for plyometric and agility work where intrinsic foot musculature strengthening is a focus.

AO Criteria 3: Effective Flexpoint

The location and quality of where the shoe flexes when walking is important. It is typically located at the ball of the foot and should not be too flexible nor too firm. The quality and design of the flexpoint in some shoes will be more accommodating for certain individuals than it will be for others. While this feature is important for all shoe shoppers, it is extremely important for those who have foot problems such as bunions, hammer toes, etc. It is best to book an appointment and to seek the advice of an Align Certified Clinician regarding AO3 Effective Flexpoint.

Better Balance Begins With Your Feet

What are the benefits of Healthy Footwear?

Wearing shoes that offer the correct support for your feet can transform the way you feel and help you move through your days with greater ease, comfort, and confidence. At our facility in Mississauga Healthy Footwear offers benefits that extend to many areas of your well-being:

Improved comfort throughout your entire body, including the feet, knees, hips, and back.
Improved foot function when walking, running, playing sports, or engaging in other physical activities.
Injury prevention by reducing abnormal or excessive forces on the lower body.
Accommodating special foot needs for people with foot conditions such as diabetes, neuropathy, bunions, hammer toes, flat feet, plantar fasciitis, and more.
Better balance and stability throughout the entire musculoskeletal system.
Correction of structural issues like overpronation (rolling in of the ankle) or over-supination (rolling out of the ankle).
Reduced fatigue due to improved gait and more efficient foot function.

Shop Our Showroom… and Beyond

The Align Designer Showroom

While the A03 Criteria are a basis for curating the collection in the Align Designer Showroom, many other factors in the shoes' construction are at play.

It's a small but focused collection designed to take out the barrage of options and guesswork you'll encounter in mass-market shoe stores. Here, there are only 'healthy' options for stock item footwear. The secret to discovering which are right for you is your personal shoe shopping tutorial—after we decode your unique biomechanics in our Body Align Assessment.

It's the combination of our medical expertise, appreciation for the art of fashion and beauty, and the desire to have you wearing shoes that will both inspire and heal you. At Align, “modified orthopedic footwear” takes on a new definition: beautiful shoes that feel good. This is a different and highly specialized curation of healthy footwear than you'll find anywhere else. Many of our fashion brands are exclusive to Align within the realm of footcare clinics. And that is because, in our luxurious Align Designer Showroom, we deliver on both sides of fashion and function in this very unique way.

Shop the Collection

Take the First Step to Foot Freedom

Your Healthy Footwear Consultation

The best way to learn about our range of products and services is to schedule a personal consultation.

Book a 10-minute consultation to have your most pressing questions answered and receive personalized recommendations. Or book a full Body Align Assessment to comprehensively analyze your posture, gait, and unique musculoskeletal balance, followed by a personalized shoe-shopping tutorial. This appointment also includes a digital design for bespoke orthotics and a digital report of our findings that you can share with other healthcare team members.

Get Started Today

Move Better Aligned With Healthier Feet

Ready to check 'healthy feet' off your self-care list? Book your appointment today by using the link below. It's never too early or too late to start. We look forward to helping you find beauty and balance through better foot health. Improve the way you move.

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Healthy Footwear in Mississauga, ON