My complete reply to the newspaper article

August 11, 2007

Letter to the Editor
PA Daily Herald
Prince Albert SK

Dear Sir:
I wish to make a reply to the article in last Tuesday’s Daily Herald “Local Nurses walking on happy feet”.
By way of background, I am one of the partners in PA Euroclogs, a Prince Albert based company distributing and selling orthopedic and comfort footwear here for ten years. We started selling Sanita brand duty footwear from Denmark. These products were well accepted at hospitals and other places where people worked on their feet. Unfortunately, the manufacturer was unable to import the product for a few years. The products we located to replace Sanita line was in our estimation not suitable for use in the hospital. As a result, we did not have any shows in the hospital.
During this time, we had been approached to sell footwear of the kinds mentioned in your story. For a variety of reasons, we declined the opportunity.
In the last few years, I have been working with suppliers to get quality footwear for people at good prices and at the same time be “fair trade” (manufacturers are paid a fair working wage).
This year, a Prince Albert based company called “Addicted to Comfort -Naturally” was formed to distribute this footwear in Canada. In addition, supply problems have been resolved with the company Sanita and it is possible to get this brand of footwear in Canada again.
People who find comfortable footwear for their “special needs” feet are fortunate. We started selling footwear because we have sore feet ourselves and know what it is to sit on the “other side”. If the ladies in this story have found help with the kind of footwear that is described, that is good for them. The concerns that they have about their choice being “legislated out” are significant. Because each foot is different, not everyone will benefit from what they have found.
Let me say that I am not unaware of the footwear policies in place here and in a number of other places in Canada. The following should not be construed as expressing an opinion on what should be done here.
Because I have been closely following the news reports about the “Crocs” style clogs (including Holey Soles, Dawgs etc.), I am not unaware of the developments with them around the world and the concerns that have been expressed by workplaces elsewhere. They can be broken down into the following categories:

Holes are a risk for needles and body fluids to enter
This is a significant concern here in Prince Albert because the prevalence of HIV and Hepatitis rivals that of larger cities. There is a risk of contamination when dealing with high risk patients. The article describes the use of “procedures”. Having worked for a number of years in industry, it is safe to say that despite safe working practices “things can happen”.

The soft sole is a slipping hazard
It is my observation that the sole on these clogs is soft and the tread wears off after about 2-3 months. Wearing shoes that do not provide slip resistance on shiny floors that are frequently mopped is treacherous. A number of institutions have banned them because of that reason.
Some people had encouraged me to get some Crocs clogs for my sore feet. The sole on mine wore out after 1.5 months of wear and I slipped on a wet concrete sidewalk and landed on my hip. (Note that it was not a polished marble floor or shiny hospital floor!)
It is within the rights of an employer to require the use of appropriate clothing for the jobs. Many sites have looked at this and required non-slip footwear for patient safety and prevention of work induced injuries. I understand that there are some areas in the health region now where footwear of this sort is not allowed due to occupational concerns.


Entrapment of footwear in moving equipment
Children have been most often affected by this problem, but adults have been reported as having troubles as well. The clogs get trapped in escalators, elevators and other moving equipment.

Static
A problem was first noticed in ICU’s in Europe. Patients that were hooked up to sensitive electronic equipment died because the equipment stopped working. Testing showed that Crocs clogs can generate enough static charge when a person walks across a concrete floor (not carpet) to damage equipment. Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is an important feature for footwear in such situations.

Puncture
The soles are not puncture resistant! The force required to pierce the sole with a piece of glass or metal is not great. I can attest to this from personal experience by testing this when I stepped on a piece of broken glass and nails.

Heat
Not everyone will have this trouble, but people who wear this style of shoe will find their feet hot and their socks get wet. The result is growth of microorganisms that hospitals and clinics seek to eliminate.

This far has been a list of the major concerns listed by hospitals and health authorities. There are other concerns for people with “special needs” feet. As a Canadian Certified Pedorthist, I also follow what research suggests and people say in places like Yahoo foot pain groups.
The concerns mentioned in there are related to a lack of motion control in these clogs. People who pronate in gait will still pronate and the clog will allow it. This allows for foot related problems to either remain or progress. Insertion of a foot orthosis into a clog of this sort cuts the air flow and raises the heat inside the shoe.

It is for these and other reasons that we have not sold clogs of this sort.
One other concern that I have with the article is an essence of “false economy” found there. Sanita clogs were sold at $88 per pair and generally lasted about 5 years. The cost of them for a year is about $17.60. The duty shoes we sell cost about $120 and you can get 3-4 years out of them. Their annual cost is between $25 and 33. Normal use of Crocs type clogs has the sole wear out in about 3-4 months. If you replace them 2-3 times a year, that makes the yearly cost of them $90-105!
I am pleased to tell you that the Addicted To Comfort shoes that I have worn do not make my feet hurt; they are light and have uppers that breathe without having holes in them. The non-slip, shock absorbing sole provides motion control as well. The people who we sold the initial group to are also happy with them.
It is on that basis that a show is being planned in the next month to introduce this footwear to the health industry. All the details are not currently available.
In the last 2 years, I have had the privilege to present talks at an international symposium on footwear design. There are some wonderful developments underway with shoe design. “Orthopedic shoes” are looking more and more like ordinary ones and with the increasing use of nanostructural compounds, soles will be lighter and less “clinical looking”. As materials of this sort come into production, I can assure you that the designs that pass testing will be used in Addicted to Comfort shoes.
Thank you for the chance to tell you about the alternatives to this sort of footwear and to explain the reasons why other authorities have taken the steps they have to keep their employees and patients safe.


Yours Sincerely