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Shoes for sciatica

Less impact at the heel. Less of it reaching your lower back.

A steel spring compresses about an inch on every step, so less of the shock travels up through the knees, hips and lower back. Sandia National Laboratories measured it.

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  • 1,000,000+

    pairs sold since 1990

  • 30 days

    risk-free trial, any condition

  • 4.89

    average rating on Stamped

Start here

Why it works

From the Z team

  • Heel strike: the steel coil compresses about an inch and takes the impact before it travels up.
  • Midstance: the rigid built-in orthotic holds the arch and heel square, so the foot isn't rolling in or out.
  • Toe-off: the rocker forefoot rolls you through the step instead of bending you through it.

17% lower peak impact jogging and 13% walking, properly fitted, measured by Sandia National Laboratories. Read the studies.

From people who came to us for their back

  • ★★★★★

    “I suffered from sciatica. My sciatica and knee pain are gone. These shoes are unbelievable! I love them. They really are a pain relieving footwear! When your feet hurt your whole body hurts.”

    Karen Black · Jeddo, MI

  • ★★★★★

    “I couldn't walk without pain before Z-CoiL. These shoes changed my life. I can finally go on long walks again without suffering from sciatica pain.”

    Michael R. · Phoenix, AZ

  • ★★★★★

    “I tried everything for my lower back and sciatic pain—physical therapy, pain meds, chiropractic care—but nothing worked like these shoes! Highly recommend!”

    Susan P. · Dallas, TX

Individual results vary. Thirty days tells you yours.

Every review above is from a customer who wore them through real days first. Read all reviews.

  • Four spring strengths

    Matched to your weight before it ships. The lab found the wrong spring gives you nothing, so we get this right first. Swapped free.

  • HSA/FSA eligible

    Pay with pre-tax dollars through Truemed. Qualify in a couple of minutes at checkout.

  • Real people

    Fit help from our team in Albuquerque: 800-268-6239, Mon–Fri.

Sciatica and shoes, answered

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is the name for pain that follows the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the hips and down each leg. People describe it as a shooting, burning or tingling pain down one leg, often worse after long periods of standing, walking on hard floors, or sitting. It has many causes, from a disc pressing on the nerve to posture and long hours on your feet, and a shoe doesn't treat any of them. What a shoe can change is how much impact reaches the lower back on every step.

How can a shoe affect the lower back?

Every heel strike sends a shock up through the leg, the hip and into the lower spine. On a hard floor in a flat shoe, very little of it is absorbed before it gets there. Z-CoiL puts a steel spring under the heel that compresses about an inch on each step, so the foot stops more gradually and less of that shock travels up. The rigid built-in orthotic keeps the foot from rolling inward, which keeps the knee and hip stacked over it. Less impact, arriving more gently, thousands of times a day.

What did the research actually measure?

Sandia National Laboratories measured peak acceleration at the foot while people walked and jogged in Z-CoiL and in a leading competitor's shoe, and found it 13% lower walking and 17% lower jogging when the spring was matched to the wearer's weight. Los Alamos measured a longer, less abrupt impact pulse. New Mexico Highlands University measured lower pressure at the heel and midfoot. None of the studies measured sciatica or back pain, and we don't claim they did. They measured impact, which is what the shoe is built to reduce. The full reports are on our research page.

Which style should I start with?

Freedom Classic is what our fit specialists recommend first: the full orthotic, the widest fit we make, and laces so you can dial in the hold. Legend if you need a slip-resistant sole for work. Freedom Classic Black Covered CoiL if you're in snow, mud or gravel. Taos if you want a slip-on clog. All four run true to size, and exchanges are free if the size or spring strength isn't right.

How soon will I notice a difference?

Most people tell us they feel the coil in the first few steps and settle into the stride within about a week. That's why the trial is 30 days: enough time to wear them through real days, long walks included, and decide. If they haven't changed how you feel by day 30, send them back in any condition.

Can I use my HSA or FSA?

Yes. Choose Truemed at checkout to pay with your HSA or FSA, and the 30-day trial applies exactly the same way.

Thirty days. Any condition. Your call.

Wear them to work, on concrete, on the long walk. If they haven't changed how you feel by day 30, send them back.

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Z-CoiL footwear is designed for comfort and impact reduction. Individual results vary. Shop Pay installments: rates from 0–36% APR. Payment options are subject to an eligibility check and are provided by Affirm.