Care for foot health

Our feet are the foundation of the body. They connect us to the ground, carry our weight and daily loads, and influence the knees, pelvis, spine, and neck.
Unsuitable footwear can lead to pain, poor posture, and balance issues. . That is why at Proalp we place special emphasis on developing shoes that support health and the natural movement of the body.

It is important that shoes are slightly larger than the feet and that they are:

• Sufficiently spacious in the toe area: our toes are designed to move while walking. The big toe line should be as straight as possible so it is not pushed towards the other toes. It is not only the width at the bunion area (hallux) that matters – the toes must also have enough space to spread naturally.
• Correct in length: shoes that are too short push the toe joints together and prevent the arch from fully lowering and distributing load correctly during walking.
• Wide enough in shape: spacious soles allow for a stable step without constriction, using the full surface of the foot.

• The heel should not be elevated (or only minimally).

When the heel is higher than the toes, the forefoot carries more load than the rearfoot, and joint angles throughout the body change away from their natural alignment. Humans evolved walking barefoot, and even centuries of (partial) use of heeled footwear has not fundamentally changed this.

• Thinner soles increase ground feel.

The soles of our feet contain a large number of nerve endings, which help provide sensory feedback about the terrain. In the past, when our ancestors lived in less urbanised environments, this feedback was essential for navigating natural ground conditions. Our feet are still designed for walking on uneven surfaces.