- Will Feathersprings help my specific problem?
- Will Feathersprings help heel spurs or plantar fasciitis?
- Why was I sent only one board and transfer paper when I have two feet?
- How do I create my foot imprints?
- Do you offer a guarantee?
- Are Feathersprings covered by insurance?
- Why does it take so long to get the Feathersprings?
- Can I wear the Feathersprings in all my shoes?
- Do I need a larger shoe to wear the Feathersprings?
- Do I have to remove the insole in my shoe to wear Feathersprings?
- Can I wear the Feathersprings in athletics?
- Why is it so important to break the supports in slowly?
- What are Holdfasts? How do they work?
- How do I know if my supports need adjusting?
- How often should my Feathersprings be adjusted? What is the cost?
- How do I order replacement parts for my Feathersprings?
- How often should the parts be replaced?
Will Feathersprings help my specific problem?
We cannot say for certain if the Feathersprings will help in a specific case.
This is because every person's condition is unique and we do not know for sure
until the person tries the supports. This is one reason we offer the supports
with a one-year money back guarantee trial period.
The Feathersprings are designed to provide proper support to your feet. If the
problems you experience are caused by a misalignment of the feet, the
Feathersprings should help.
Will Feathersprings help heel spurs or plantar fasciitis?
Feathersprings have been quite successful in helping eliminate the strain that
causes plantar fasciitis and heel spurs. Plantar fasciitis is caused by a
strain or tearing of the plantar fascia. The Feathersprings provide good
support under the foot from the ball of the foot to the heel. This relieves the
strain and helps the fascia heal.
We also can relieve pressure on a heel spur by adding what we call a spur
allowance to the support. This allowance is an indentation scooped out in the
heel of the support. This removes much of the direct impact on the spur,
relieving pain and allowing it to heal over time.
Why was I sent only have one board and transfer paper when I have two feet?
In making the foot impressions, you only need one transfer paper and one board.
You make one impression on each side of the board. Just wet the board as stated
in the instructions. Then place the carbon (transfer) paper down and take the
first foot print as directed. If the transfer paper does not have writing on
it, simply place the shiny, inked side down.
Take the paper off the board, turn the board over and place the same carbon
paper on the board and take the second print. This time leave your foot down on
the board twice as long as the first print. This is to compensate for having
already used the paper for one print.
For more detailed information of how to create your foot imprints, take a look
at the Foot Imprint page.
How do I create my foot imprints?
Please see our Foot Imprint page which has the full
step-by-step instructions.
Do you offer a guarantee?
The Feathersprings are offered on a one-year Trial Period Money Back
Guarantee. You may return the supports and request a refund at any time within one year of receiving them. You will be refunded everything you have
paid with the exception of the shipping and handling charge.
If you are basically pleased with the supports but have some minor discomforts,
we have trained technicians here in DeKalb to help you. Sometimes minor
adjustments can make a big difference in the fit and comfort you experience.
There is no charge for this adjustment service during the first year. Adjustments after the first
year cost $10 plus postage and handling.
There also is a lifetime free replacement guarantee should the metal portion of
the supports ever break or crack.
Are Feathersprings covered by insurance?
Many insurance policies do cover our foot supports. Our experience has been
that most of them do require a prescription from your doctor for custom- made
foot supports.
Because insurance policies vary greatly, you should contact your insurance
company and ask them if they cover custom-formed foot supports. If they do,
find out what documentation you need to make a claim.
At this time, Medicare does not cover our supports.
Why does it take so long to get the Feathersprings?
The Feathersprings are custom formed by technicians in Germany. Batches of
orders are mailed together in standard processing and the supports usually
reach us three weeks after we ship the orders to Germany.
You sent me the wrong size. There is a #8 on the bottom of the Feathersprings and
I wear a size 10 shoe.
Sorry for the confusion caused by the number on the heel of the support. That
number identifies the gauge or strength of steel used in making the support. It
does not relate to a shoe size.
Be assured the supports were custom formed by technicians in Germany using the
foot impressions and information you provided. If the supports do not fit
comfortably we do have technicians in DeKalb who can adjust them for greater
comfort. If our technicians feel the size of the support needs to be changed
they can make another support either smaller or larger as needed.
Can I wear the Feathersprings in all my shoes?
Feathersprings are designed to be worn in most all of your shoes. Shoes with
arch supports in them may require removal of the support before using
Feathersprings. This is because if the arch support in the shoe is too high it
can interfere with the function of the Featherspring.
Ladies may find the supports a little wide for some dress shoes. This is
because some shoes are narrower at the bottom than your foot. Because we make
the Feathersprings to fit your foot, they cannot fit all the way down in such
shoes. Some customers who wear these shoes infrequently for short periods of
time just wear them without their Feathersprings.
Heel heights from flats to 2 ½ inch heels can be worn with the Feathersprings.
If you frequently wear shoes with a heel higher than 2 ½ inches you would need
the supports made differently to accommodate the change in how the foot is
aligned in such a shoe. Once a support is configured for a higher heel it
usually cannot be worn comfortably in a lower heel shoe.
Do I need a larger shoe to wear the Feathersprings?
Most people do not need a larger shoe with the Feathersprings. The supports are
just slightly thicker than a credit card. The support provided in the
longitudinal arch and the metatarsal arch actually shortens the foot slightly
in the shoe. This can make some shoes actually feel larger with more toe room.
Do I have to remove the insole in my shoe to wear Feathersprings?
The answer is maybe. A shoe with a high arch support in it may interfere with
the function of the Feathersprings. This does not happen in every case. The
problem comes if the shoe's insole is high enough to interfere with the way the
Featherspring sits in the shoe.
We suggest first trying the Feathersprings in your shoes as they are. If there
is a problem, remove the insole (if it is removable, most are). Once the insole
is removed you may want to put a flat insole under the Featherspring. This is
because many shoes are rough and unfinished under the insole.
Can I wear the Feathersprings in athletics?
Feathersprings have been used successfully in many forms of athletics. Our
customers range from the weekend warrior to the professional. They are used by
joggers, runners, hikers, mountain climbers, and of course many customers use
them for golf and tennis. We even have a couple of customers who run marathons.
You should use the Feathersprings in a sport shoe with a substantial sole. A
thin soled, light weight tennis shoe would not protect the supports from being
damaged or flattened out.
Why is it so important to break the supports in slowly?
The Feathersprings are designed to properly align your feet. This can cause
changes in the structure of the feet. It is best to make these changes
gradually. It is like wearing braces on teeth. The braces gradually reposition
the teeth. It would be too painful and traumatic to do it all at once.
We suggest starting by wearing the supports an hour or two at a time. If you go
for a couple of hours a few times with no discomfort, wear them for an extra
hour the next time. This allows you to gradually build up the time you wear the
supports without putting undue stress on your feet.
If you are unable to wear the supports for very long, we likely need to make
slight adjustments to the supports to improve the fit and comfort.
One reason we provide a one-year money back guarantee trial period is to allow
you to take the time needed to adjust to the supports and have them adjusted if needed.
What are Holdfasts? How do they work?
Holdfasts are Velcro-type disks that are used to hold the supports in place if
they slip forward in your shoes. One piece is attached to the bottom of the
heel of your support and the other to the inside of the shoe. When you place
the Featherspring in the shoe the two pieces grip and hold the support in
place.
You will need a pair of Holdfast Bottoms (the pieces that go in the shoes) for
each pair of shoes where you have a slipping problem.
How do I know if my supports need adjusting?
The supports need adjusting during the initial break-in period if you are
unable to wear them for any length of time before they become uncomfortable.
If you have worn the supports for some time, a clue they need adjusting is when
they start to lose their comfort. This can mean the supports have lost some of
their original shape. Before sending them back for adjustment, you might want
to check the condition of the black metatarsal cushions. If they are flattened
out, changing them may be all that is needed. If you have changed the cushions
and the problems persist then you will need to send the supports for
adjustment.
When you return the supports you just need to tell us what problems you are
experiencing wearing the Feathersprings. Normally you will have an adjustment
form that has diagrams of the feet and basic questions. Mark the location of
the problems and answer the questions that apply to your situation. Then
provide a written description of the problems that are not covered by the
questions on the adjustment form.
How often should my Feathersprings be adjusted? What is the cost?
How often the supports need to be adjusted depends on how you use them. The
average is to need them adjusted about every 1-2 years. Some very
active people need more frequent adjustments and some customers who are easy on
their feet do not need adjustments for several years.
There is no charge for adjustments within the first year. This is when fine
tuning may be required to get the best fit. For that reason we do these
adjustments for free.
After one year, the current cost for an adjustment is $10 plus shipping and
handling. All adjusted supports are mailed back to you by either First Class or
Priority Mail. You normally will receive your adjusted supports back in about
two weeks.
Download a copy of the adjustment form here.
You will need the Adobe
Acrobat Reader in order to read the form. Simply print the form, fill
it out and mail it with your supports to the address listed on the form.
How do I order replacement parts for my Feathersprings?
You can order the parts several ways. One of the easiest ways is to call us
toll-free at 1-800-628-4693. Our staff can help you place the order and make
sure you get the correct size parts for your supports.
There are two ways to order online. One way is by going to our
online store where you can order using a Visa or Mastercard. You can
also e-mail an order to us at customerservice@featherspring.com.
Another way to order is by U.S. Mail our address is: Luxis
International Corporation, 105 N First Street, DeKalb, IL 60115.
You also may contact us using any of these methods for information and with any
questions you might have about ordering.
How often should the parts be replaced?
It will vary depending on how you use the supports. The black metatarsal
cushions wear out faster than the gray shoe protectors. The cushions have a
cupped look on the bottom when they are new. Check them about every week or
two. It sometimes helps to rotate the cushions a quarter turn every couple
weeks as it helps even out wear.
When the cushions lose the cupped look and appear flat, they need to be
changed. This varies from a few months to a year depending on how much you are
on your feet and how active you are.
The gray shoe protectors normally last much longer. They do not need to be
replaced until they start to crack. The normal life of the shoe protector is
one to two years.
You can purchase replacement parts on our online store.