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Whether on a Hollywood movie set or back home in Mississippi, actor Gary Grubbs wears Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ almost everywhere he goes.

In fact, the comfortable shoes worked so well for him he opened a store in his hometown of Hattiesburg and a second one a year later in Madison.

Even though Grubbs has been in more than 300 movies and shows, when he's in his stores, the Hollywood chat stops and it's down to the business of fitting customers for the right pair.

"When I'm in Mississippi, most days I'm in the store putting shoes on customers. Oftentimes, customers recognize my face but they think it's from somewhere else and start guessing where they know me from," he said, with a chuckle. "I'll joke and say that I just got out of prison, or we had a date once. I try not to talk about my acting career or what movie stars I've worked with or the conversation will get side tracked. I'd rather be talking about Z-CoiLs and how they help relieve pain."

Even though Grubbs may not discuss movies in his stores, it doesn't stop him from talking about the shoes to fellow actors. Dustin Hoffman, Burt Reynolds and Ellen Burstyn all wear Z-CoiLs sold to them by Grubbs, as do hundreds of crewmembers. In fact, it was on a movie set he first saw the shoes.

"I have plantar fasciitis, which is a real common problem for people who have to be on their feet all day. I was already scheduled for surgery when I saw them," Grubbs said. "I bought my first pair in New Orleans, and they gave me so much relief that within a few days I got my second pair. Within a few weeks I had three pairs, cancelled my surgery, and my wife and I purchased the franchise. Our Hattiesburg store is called Z Kicks and the one in Madison is named Z-CoiL, after the shoe."

Almost 80 percent of people experience back pain at some point, and according to Web MD®, up to 85 percent will experience foot problems. The technically engineered Z-CoiL® shoes alleviate the impact which causes much of the pain by equalizing pressure distribution so the constant pounding on the heel is diminished by half. The coil is made of heavy duty piano wire steel. A permanent flex line at the ball of the foot assists the natural flexing point. And nearly an inch of soft cushion protects the metatarsal heads. The heel has a wider footprint than other shoes and the front is cushioned with Neoprene, bringing it to the same height of the heel when standing so they are better balanced than many shoes. They come in a variety of styles including work boots, hiking boots, dress shoes, tennis shoes and even sandals for women. The biggest complaint is their funky appearance. But, it's that built-in orthotic that makes them work. They're especially helpful to anyone suffering from plantar fasciitis, sciatica, bulging disc, heel spurs, knee pain, posterior tendonitis, and arthritis.

"We're the first concrete generation," Grubbs said. "Everywhere we go, we're on concrete and it soon takes its toll. These shoes absorb 50 percent of the weight and take the pressure off the skeletal system.

"Medical professionals are our number one customer. They seem to be more willing to try something new and if it works, they'll tell their coworkers. Z-CoiLs are effective because they decrease the impact of walking or standing on your feet all day."

Hattiesburg family practitioner Dr. Michael May said he had also suffered from plantar fasciitis before learning about the shoes. Today, his symptoms are gone and he's prescribing them to patients. Even his clinic partner and wife are now sporting the Z-CoiLs.

"I'd tried all the remedies we normally recommend and that's when Gary told me about the Z-CoiLs," May said. "I looked into it and decided to get a pair. It was several weeks before I started feeling any real relief. Some days were better than others, but I had suffered from it for about a year so that was pretty impressive. Then, lo and behold, after about three months, my heel pain was completely gone. I wore the shoes probably about six months almost continually. Now I wear them intermittently, but haven't had any reoccurrence of problems. I think they actually helped completely get rid of the problem. I've got two pairs now and my wife has two. Hers are mainly for prevention."
May said although the shoes look as if there may be balance problems, the opposite is true.

"The support is really good. It's not a problem when you put your heel down," May said. "It puts a spring in your step like walking on deep cushioned carpet. If I have a patient with back pain and conventional treatments haven't helped, I write the diagnosis and prescribe the shoes."

Grubbs, who has sold more than 4,000 shoes, said he's never had a complaint of an injury.

"I run three miles every morning in my Z-CoiLs," Grubbs said. "It's like a Christmas tree. If the foundation is not balanced and level, you won't be stable. If the foot is turned too far in or out, it puts too much pressure on one side of the foot and, as a result, the whole skeletal system gets out of line and creates joint pain."

Grubbs said a neat thing about the shoes is that they can be easily adjusted according to need. The coils can be adjusted at 90-degree increments to help correct a person's walk if they pronate or supinate. While most customers wear the shoes right out of the box, some folks need minor adjustments, which can be done in 20 to 30 minutes in the store.

"My wife and I spent a week at headquarters to learn all about the shoes and how to fit and adjust them properly. Our assistants are also trained to do the same. We can't fix everything, but we can take the weight off their joints and that almost always helps to reduce pain and that's what Z-CoiLs are all about," Grubbs said.


May 2007

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