The US Food and Drug Administration has recently approved Footbeat, an insole technology that works to help increase circulation by using automatic pressure in the arch of the foot to remove tissue fluid and metabolic waste, and speed healing.
The device, designed by orthopedic surgeon Dr David Mayer and his son, Matt, sits in the insole of a person’s shoes and is operable through a remote control that is programmed via a phone app. It only works when the person is sitting or lying down and immediately shuts off when walking, as each step produces a similar blood flow, according to a news story that appeared in The Daily Sentinel.
According to Matt, although the device can work with athletes who want to keep their legs healthy during long stretches of inactivity, it was originally conceived to work with patients experiencing plantar fasciitis and diabetes. It also can be an effective aid for restless leg syndrome and to help prevent varicose veins.
“It’s pretty innocuous as to what it can do,” says David Mayer in the news story. “It’s just a pad into the arch of the foot.”
[Source: The Daily Sentinel]
