NFL players praise Israeli company's orthopedic shoes
AposTherapy develops brand of shoes that helps deal with knee and back pain.
Offering products that alter regular shoes in order to fight against muscle pain, AposTherapy treatment is apparently becoming increasingly popular in Asia and Europe, and has now received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.
Some of the biggest supporters of the company, as you can see from their official website, are former NFL players, who have commended their treatment for significantly helping with knee and back pains.
Former New York Jets running back Bruce Harper, for one, was offered to try on the shoes but was "skeptical." Eventually, he, alongside former New York Giants players Bart Oates and Karl Nelson, tried on the $5,000 pair of shoes, and couldn't believe the results. Bloomberg reports that the players aren't paid by AposTherapy, but they all celebrated the product for realigning their walking habits.
"If you can get someone to have a smoother gait, that can go a long way in relieving pain," added MaCalus Hogan to Bloomberg. Hogan is an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon. “It is definitely one I would be open to trying with patients," he said.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Americans spent approximately $50 billion a year on lower back pain. AposTherapy looks to decrease that number by offering a more stable and less expensive way to deal with back pain. The company has offered its products to over 50,000 so far across Israel, the UK and Singapore, with sales surpassing $14 million in 2013.
The company expects sales to double and hit $30 million by next year.
AposTherapy was founded in Herzliya by doctors Avi Elbaz and Amit Mor. The two believe that by changing the gait - pattern of movement of the limbs - of those suffering with the treatment offered through AposTherapy shoes will greatly decrease knee and back pain.
The treatment works as a "snowball effect," according to the company. Patients suffering are to wear the shoes and ignore the pain that accompanies them, as really what's happening is their gait is being changed, reshaping their muscles and body in the process.
Currently, AposTherapy has a Manhattan office and is looking to partner with physical therapy centers. It's raised $27 million from investors so far.
Reprinted with permission from Shalom Life
