How it all began: the product idea for optimally supported children’s feet
Babies initially use their feet to grasp in the first months of life. As a child begins to crawl and stand, its feet adapt to the new conditions. To develop properly, little feet above all need sufficient space and time to grow. That’s why it is generally unnecessary to take corrective action in the first years. Later – from the age of six – the doctor decides whether children’s feet need to be supported with insoles.
Little patients place very special demands on their insole care
Too little room for the feet to move can harm the foot muscles. Children’s bodies also change very quickly. As they quickly outgrow the perfect fit of the insoles, the orthopaedic function can no longer be fully ensured, and the insoles become uncomfortable.
Challenge with a simple solution: the igli Flex principle
A group of doctors and orthopaedic shoe technicians from Cologne encountered the same challenge time again: when children become too aware of the press of their insoles, they dislike wearing them. Following growth spurts, the insoles must be refitted. And so the insoles often had to be reworked in the workshop or even manufactured from scratch.
The Cologne group developed a children’s insole that perfectly integrates into the shoe. It provides support by positively guiding feet as they grow. The orthopaedic technician can also modify it without difficulty. A trained eye for the essential aspects and a great love of detail led to the creation of a fascinatingly simple solution: a flexible carbon base with mobile support elements. The igli Flex principle was born!
igli shoe insoles: stable base with flexible postings
The “core” of the igli insole remains a specially shaped carbon brace even today. It is lightweight, particularly flexible and designed to support natural movement, ensuring that the foot remains unrestricted. “Postings” are fixed to the underside of the insole with Velcro connections – for precision foot support. Plus: the insole can also be refitted later at any time – easily and quickly.
The next step: developing insoles for adults
The orthopaedic technicians proved the developers right: the simple principle stood the test of time and was also developed for adults. The shapes of the carbon brace were adapted to enable them to withstand higher loads or fit into narrower shoes. These insoles can still be found in their original form in our “Classic Selection”.
To meet individual requirements, there soon followed further insoles designed to meet specific medical requirements (Focus Selection) or special requirement profiles (Profile Selection) – as always, based on the igli Flex principle.
This is how the igli product family was created, offering a custom solution for every shoe, user type and foot deformity.
Discover the igli products now!
The igli family – a universal ‘made in Germany’ principle
Originally developed for children, the igli Flex principle now stands for high-end care in the field of supportive shoe insoles for young and old alike. Its diverse options and simple handling turned it into a genuinely universal principle – invented, developed and made in Germany.
Highlights
Diagnosis & treatment
Digital systems
Footcare measuring systems for foot and gait measurement
Yellow & Blue
