by Barbara Zehetbauer-Hoehl, Vienna, Austria
Three years ago, I developed a symptom called foot drop caused by my FSHD Type 2. The biggest loss, which came with losing my muscles that support my feet, were the pretty shoes that I just wasn’t able to wear anymore. I love dressing up and I love shoes, so losing one tool to express myself and getting a big, black, bulky orthosis instead, was a horrifying feeling. Being able to walk properly with an ankle-foot orthosis, or AFO, was just not enough for me.
I have done a lot of research over the years to find a fashionable and functional AFO or shoe. Shockingly, there are very few options to choose from. Since I have a fashion background it was natural for me to create my own solution to the problem of functionality and beauty. And I instantly started designing myself the shoes I wish I could find on the market.
Creating a solution ended up turning into a two-part project. First, I needed to address the AFO itself. So, my first step was to create an orthosis that fits in my shoes and is very resistant while looking good. In my experience, the sole of the regular AFOs that I purchased broke every few months. I designed an AFO that fits the ankle tight so you can still see the natural shape of the leg. The straps that hold up the foot are replaceable so that I have more options to style my orthosis. In this picture, I went for satin and rhinestones. I worked with an orthopedic technician to make the sole of the orthosis very resistant and comfortable.
After improving my AFO, the next step was to create the shoes of my dreams. Beautiful shoes that I can walk in! It took time to think of how I could work to integrate an AFO in a shoe that looks nice with dresses. Also, finding an orthopedic shoemaker who was willing to work with my unique design needs was a challenge. Luckily, I found an amazing shoemaker who believed in my creation and the potential it had to help others.
To me these are not just a pretty pair of shoes. These shoes have given me back my life and love for dressing up. Redesigning and creating beautiful products that usually tend to create negative associations in the outside world, is a big change for people who are affected. Making a positive rather than negative first impression really helps people with disabilities to open up to the world again.
I am currently working on more styles and prototypes of shoes and AFOs, which I am constantly trying to make more comfortable and adapted to a wide range of people. I strongly believe we have a right for well-designed, beautiful, and functional shoes and orthoses. This has ignited a strong passion in me, and I hope that in the near future we can make these products accessible to all people with foot drop.
Editor’s note: Barbara Hoel is a fashion designer based in Austria. She would love to hear from readers who are interested in this topic. Her email is barbara.z.hoehl@gmail.com. Barbara’s symptoms stated when she was 24 years old but she was not diagnosed until age 30. Now 33, she works as a design teacher and freelance fashion designer in Vienna. She studied fashion design in Vienna and Milan, during which time she had the chance to intern at the Metropolitan Opera and Jason Wu in New York. She earned a masters in art and design education from the University of Fine Arts in Vienna and is currently looking for a PhD program that will allow her to research the intersection of fashion and orthopedics, and to work further on the development of her shoes and AFOs. For a guide to finding shoes to wear with orthoses, read our blog post, Sole Searching.
So cool!! When can we order????
Thank you! If you send me an E – Mail, I can put you on a list to keep you updated on that. 🙂
Please would you how l can order shoes from you and how much they would cost.
Love idea and concept.
Thank you, so much! If you send me an E – Mail, I can put you on a list to keep you updated on that. 🙂
These are so fabulous! I was diagnosed at 35, and am now 61, And I still think nothing is better then cute shoes!! Please put me on your list!
Trish Doktor
Thank you, Tara!!!
Wow. I wear AFO left side wear wide sneaker and I have LGMD and I would like see different shoe on list !
Thank you, Phyllis!
I’m in the process now of looking for shoes and ordering online. It is more than frustrating as you know. Trying them on finding out they don’t work and then sending them back repeat. I am very interested in your product and I think that you are just awesome
Oh Julie! Thank you very much!
If you send me an E – Mail, I can put you on a list to keep you updated.
I too have FSHD and sometimes gamble with my safety and choose not to wear my AFO so that I can go to an event in “cute, fancy shoes,” but I love your ideas and products. Where can I purchase these?
Thank you Brittany! If you send me an E – Mail, I can put you on a list to keep you updated
Hi any cool shoe designs for men with foot drop?
Thank you
How do you feel about wearing boots? I can tell you what I’ve been using.
Hi Vin! I’ll definatley work on that in the future!
If you are interested to be updated, just send me a quick E-Mail, so I can put you on the list.
This is incredible.
I long abandoned AFOs in favor of using a light weight walker. Having to buy bigger shoes and being uncomfortable just didn’t seem worth it.
I love winter because I can wear boots which keep my feet up. If you could design some tennis shoes or boots that breathe, that be great for those of us who have hot summers. (Texas)
My son’s symptoms have progressed at a much earlier age than mine did. If you can eventually design shoes for men, you could help them too.
Thanks for creating these, let us know when they are available for purchase.
Thank you, I will! If you send me an E – Mail, I can put you on a list to keep you updated
I remember the day I had to dispose of all
of my beautiful shoes. I cried. I have wanted to have pretty shoes again that work with AFOs. When
can you bring these to market? How about a
Kickstarter campaign to get you off the ground?
Thank you, for sharing Deborah!
Agreed! These are both functional and beautiful!
Would love to be able to order.
Thank you! If you send me an E – Mail, I can put you on a list to keep you updated
Wow these look amazing!!
Sign me up for your 1st catalog please ????????❤️
This is amazing, id love to order your shoes! thank you!
SO COOL!!! Is there a Kickstarter-type campaign that we can help fund? How can we get these products onto the feet of people who need them?! Bravo for Barbara’s ingenuity.
Thank you Sonja! I am not planing a Kickstarter campaign at this point but I’ll keep you updated!!!
This is so very exciting! I have been wearing AFO for about fifteen years mostly with tennis shoes because of them lacing up. I miss cute shoes so much! Can’t wait to see more of your shoes. Thank you for working so hard on these.
I was so excited to read this article & see the amazing shoes you have designed .I was diagnosed with FHSD about 6 years ago .I an unable to wear my beautiful shoes which I had collected for so many years .
I have found it so frustrating that there is no thought given to the appearance of orthotics particularly for womwn & young girls .Please let me know is there is anyway your product will be marketed in the UK , whether you have any plans to crowdfunding to get the idea expanding .Thank you x
You are brilliant! I really understand your desire to have cute, pretty shoes and I love what you’ve come up with. I would buy a pair (or ten!) in a heart beat.
As a woman, one of the hardest things to do is to be restricted to ugly shoes. Clunky runners look bad with anything but jeans or sweat pants. So much for looking professional at work, pretty on a date, or appropriate at a more formal occasion. Men wouldn’t personally understand because they get away with a lot more, but they would certainly notice when you wear hiking boots with a flowy summer dress.
University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada has a design school but I have no idea if they would be a good place for your PhD.
You are inspired! I really understand your desire to have cute, pretty shoes and I love what you’ve come up with. I would buy a pair (or ten!) in a heart beat.
Having FSHD is bad enough, but as a woman, one of the harder things to do is to be restricted to ugly shoes. Clunky runners look bad with anything but jeans or sweat pants. So much for looking professional at work, pretty on a date, or appropriate at a formal occasion. I have enough to deal with; if I want to stand out, I want it to be on my terms.
Men wouldn’t personally understand because they get away with a lot more, but they would certainly notice when you wear hiking boots with a suit. At the same time, however, I’ve rarely had any luck getting an orthotist to understand my desire to make the brace as invisible as practically possible. What does that say?
Please keep me updated on how your product and research is going, and all the best!
P.S. University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada has a design school but I have no idea if they would be a good place for your PhD.
Thank you for sharing your story, Catherine! If you send me an E – Mail, I can put you on a list to keep you updated the progress!
Love these. When can I order!
Thank you, Lynda! If you send me an E – Mail, I can put you on a list to keep you updated
I would so love to order these shoes..!!. I wear an AFO on my left leg.
Thank you
Are you looking at any extra depth/double depth styles? My daughter is only 24 and has to wear a pretty thick orthotic along with her afos to accommodate very high arches. If you have seen the shoes offered in double depth you can imagine how she feels. She would be thrilled with even ONE pretty pair of shoes!
Thank you, so much for this input!
I have never thought of this!
I’ll definitely look into it!
Thank you, so much for this input!
I have never thought of this!
I’ll definitely look into it!
Brilliant job!! I have end-stage talonavicular arthritis in both feet and have bilateral Arizona gauntlets. I love to wear dresses to work but, short of wearing flat, knee high boots, I cannot do dress shoes anymore. I’m thrilled you are out there finding solutions to this because it is a real concern! We can’t wear knee high boots in the summer or with every outfit, and we can’t leave our AFOs off or stop dressing nicely. So finding this website gives me hope! Thank you!