The Classic is the most popular support in the Exerciser family. It is the original Exerciser mold, designed to “exercise” the arches of each foot toward a more ideal pattern of body weight distribution. It is right in the middle of the Good Feet flexibility spectrum; not to hard, not too soft. This is why so many people have found relief in the Classic – it’s “just right.”

Flexibility: Medium

Sturdy enough to take a beating every day in your work boots, the Classic is still flexible enough to accommodate a wide variety of foot types and activities.

The Classic’s flexibility and features make it ideal for arches of average height and flexibility. Its “universal” flexibility makes it our most popular Exerciser; millions of happy Good Feet customers swear the Classic is “just right” for them.

What’s in a Classic?

“Stability Structure”

The underside of the Classic features a sturdy pattern of connected squares, which we call a “Stability Structure.” These thick squares are positioned under the forefoot of the support, to help stabilize the support while the foot walks.

What Does It Do, And How Can It Help?

The Classic’s square Stability Structure helps to prevent unnecessary side-to-side motion of the foot during gait. This stable pattern helps the Classic retain its arched shape no matter how hard the foot depresses it, ensuring that the many bones of the forefoot are properly supported. This leads to a more stabilized, and better aligned, foot.

Metatarsal Rise

The “toes” end of the Classic features what looks like a miniature pitcher’s mound. This is called the “metatarsal rise,” and it is particularly effective at taking pressure off the ball of the foot, the toes, and the heel.

What Does It Do, And How Can It Help?

By properly supporting the metatarsal arch, the metatarsal rise lifts up the bones in the ball of the foot, effectively preventing them from hitting the ground too hard every time the foot pushes off for a step. This means that the metatarsal rise in the Classic can help relieve some pain caused by pressure in the ball of the foot, and also distribute body weight away from corns, calluses, and other painful problems in the ball of the foot.

As it takes pressure off the ball of the foot, the metatarsal rise in the Classic also fans out the bones that form the arch, and the top of the foot. At the same time, the toes are relieved of lots of pressure. This is why the Classic can help prevent the toes from gripping the ground with each step, which could be the cause of hammertoes, calluses or corns.

While properly distributing pressure through the front end of the foot, the Classic’s metatarsal rise also re-distributes pressure through the whole bottom of the foot, effectively reducing strain on the plantar fascia ligament (a band of tissue that runs from the bottom of the heel to the ball of the foot). When the plantar fascia ligament is allowed to stretch under too much pressure, it can become inflamed, causing a condition called “Plantar fasciitis.” Because the Classic’s metatarsal rise is so effective at properly distributing body weight through the foot, it can greatly reduce strain on the plantar fascia ligament. This is why hundreds of thousands of happy customers have found relief from their plantar fasciitis when wearing the Classic as part of their arch support system.

Heel Cup

The heel cup is a cup-like indentation at the heel end of the Classic. It is designed to gather the fat pad beneath the heel, to help absorb the “step shock” that courses through the body every time each heel strikes the ground.

What Does It Do, And How Can It Help?

Every step each foot takes begins when the heel makes contact with the ground, in what is called “heel strike.” When the heel strikes the ground, up to three times the body’s weight can be exerted on the bones and tissues of the heel. This puts the heel under tons of stress, especially if it is not properly supported. The Classic’s heel cup is designed to help cushion and properly align the heel, thereby reducing the stress of each step.

A stable heel is the foundation of a stable body. If a heel is striking the ground at an angle, or rolling too much to one side during gait, it can cause imbalances throughout the entire foot, ankle, knees, and eventually through the entire body. By supporting the heel, the Classic can help align each step, starting with heel strike.

While ensuring that each heel strike is balanced and cushioned, the Classic’s heel cup can reduce fatigue on the ankles, knees, hips, and back. A properly supported heel can properly distribute the weight of the body through the legs during gait, which means that the tendons of the ankles and knees won’t have to work extra hard to keep the body upright. As part of an arch support system, the Classic’s heel cup can be the first step toward an ideally aligned skeleton.

Inner And Outer Longitudinal Arch Support

The Classic also features support for the inner and outer arches of the feet. These are designed to stabilize the foot during gait, to help prevent it rolling inward or outward with each step.

What Does It Do, And How Does It Help?

By supporting all four arches of the foot, the Classic helps to properly distribute pressure through the entire foot, thereby preventing any one part of the foot from taking on too much pressure. This can help alleviate pain in areas of the foot that are straining under too much stress.

The Classic’s inner and outer longitudinal arches stabilize the foot during gait, helping to prevent pronation and supination (rolling inward or outward). By stabilizing the foot, the Classic helps to promote proper gait, thereby reducing excess stress in the ankles, knees and hips.

As part of a complete Good Feet Arch Support System, the Classic is ideal for:

• Walking

• Weightlifting

• Working (boots, shoes, etc.)

• Standing all day

Non-running exercise