Acupuncture shoes are specialized footwear that rely on the age-old practice of acupuncture as a natural relief from bodily pain. Acupuncture has been a healing process for over 2,000 years. Originating in China, it has recently become more popular in other parts of the world. It involves inserting multiple, thin acupuncture needles at once into the body at certain pressure points. These points run along pathways in the body called meridians, and when the needles are inserted at these points, the body’s energy can resume flowing more evenly, allowing for the relief of pain.
Acupuncture shoes can prevent foot illnesses and diseases. Although Chinese acupuncture dates back very far, these practices have only been applied to the feet for about 20 years. Using acupuncture technology, many footwear companies are now creating acupuncture shoes.
The most common type of acupuncture shoes use the electro-stimulation technique. Metal chains are inserted along the inside of the physiotherapy shoes, and a small hole is inserted in the back. The edges along the periphery of the shoes’ soles are dispersed. Acupuncture point extensions and projections are then built in with wire loops, allowing for electrical conductance along the shoes’ insteps. The shoes can now conduct both positive and negative energy, allowing for electric waves that help relieve foot stress along the soles.
Acupuncture shoes using magnetotherapy are also common. These shoes place cushioned magnets on the soles, and therapeutic effects that relieve nerve endings in the feet are achieved. Acupuncture shoes can also employ massage therapy to achieve comfort. This involves the creation of a hollow space on the sole that allows the foot room to breathe instead of being cramped into the shoe from all sides.
Stimulation therapy and germanium shoes are two additional types of acupuncture shoes. Stimulation therapy shoes work by activating the contraction of the foot muscles. Electrical plates are positioned on specific parts of the feet, providing a thermal effect to foot tissues and muscles that are often stressed by walking. With geranium footwear, organic geranium dust is applied to the leather part of a shoe. Since geranium releases infrared rays, it also has a thermal effect on the feet and promotes equilibrium to the body as a whole. As with any acupuncture process, these procedures should only be performed by a trained acupuncturist who has attended acupuncture school.