This wasn’t the first time that the recovery footwear brand Oofos had come across our desks. In fact, the company was one of the top breakout searches on Google in the month of June, according to Google Trends.
Fashion and culture writer Emily Kirkpatrick wrote in a recent newsletter that her “life has been forever changed for the better” thanks to the brand’s unisex “Ooriginal” flip-flop.
Curious to find out what the hype was all about, we reached out to multi-board certified podiatrist Dr. Mark Mendeszoon, who is a physician spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) and an expert in sports medicine and footwear.
Mendeszoon explained that recovery shoes are a specific type of footwear that contour to the foot’s arches, offer a significant amount of cushioning and are designed to allow the foot to recover from a strenuous workout or being confined for a period of time.
“Oofos is a brand of recovery shoes that has really focused on the science of foot and ankle by mechanics. They found their niche with materials to help with people with foot issues,” Mendeszoon said, adding that it’s one of the two top brands that he personally recommends to his own patients.
Oofos — which has received the APMA seal of acceptance for products that are deemed beneficial for foot health — uses a proprietary footbed and foam material in the construction of their footwear that’s designed to absorb shock, reduce strain on joints and assist with active recovery. It’s a technology that the brand claims absorbs 37% more impact than traditional footwear foam materials.
“Because they are focused on recovery, that’s [how] the majority of their shoes are made, and therefore they’re not trying to do everything and make every type of shoe. They can [just] focus on design, engineering, and materials,” Mendeszoon said.
The brand offers a huge range of designs and styles for both men and women such as sandals, clogs, sneakers, platforms and even slippers. All of them are machine-washable and designed to minimize odor thanks to the closed-cell foam material.
Oofos’ most popular option is the original flip-flop, which comes in several colors, gender-neutral sizing and was the first sandal that started the company’s reputation as a trusted name in recovery footwear.
