The 8-Hour Shoe
We’ve all heard the argument, “you spend nearly half your life in your bed, so you better buy a good one." The same can be said about your shoes.
If you know someone that works long hours on their feet, and has suffered foot, leg, or even back pain, the right pair of shoes could be just what the doctor ordered.
Hoka started the maximalist shoe design when they released the first Bondi.
We like maximalist shoes for walking and standing because the stiff cushioning provides a rigid yet comfortable platform. The newest Bondi 8 is sleeker than ever but stays true to the elements that have made it so popular throughout the generations.
Coming in at $199.98, the right person will greatly appreciate either of these shoes.
Hoka Bondi 8 Running
women's
Hoka Bondi 8 Running
men's
Finding Your Cinderella Shoe
The Bondi and the More might be the right shoes for therapeutic needs, but finding the right fit can be nearly impossible for someone on their own. Our in-store fitting and medical shoe fit appointments are an ideal way to book a time slot in someone’s busy schedule to visit one of our shoe fitting experts.
Medical fits often start with a doctor’s referral. Podiatrists generally recommend the shoe they think is best, but often leave it to us to perfect their recommendations due to our history of success and product knowledge.
Gift cards are always a good option to go hand-in-hand with a fit booking. For reference: most of our shoes cost between $160 and $220.
Slide into Comfort
For those family members with particularly damaged feet, the OOFOS OOah Sport Slide ($73.98) can also go well with a pair of warm socks to keep their feet comfortable, stable, and recovering at home.
These slides are also perfect to slip on right after a long session on the court. Your exhausted feet will thank you.
OOFOS OOahh Sport Slide
Unisex
Protect Your Nether Region
You probably know someone recovering from or hoping to prevent thigh, pelvic and hip injuries; it’s an extremely sensitive area. Coreshorts Pro 3.0 are a unique pair of compression underwear with an almost cult-like following. Core strategically places high-tension elastic, which anatomically supports athletic movement.
In practice, those wearing Coreshorts will feel elevated pressure throughout the upper leg and pelvic area without limiting their range of motion. Like any therapeutic device based on pressure and restriction (ankle brace, arm sleeve), the short won’t stop injury altogether. Still, it can help prevent relapses and recover from injuries after the proper time off.
Post-Training Massage
Massage has become an increasingly popular recovery activity. We’ve all seen professional athletes getting pampered on the table by an arsenal of therapists.
While that might not be an economical option for the rest of us, massage guns like the TruMedic TruRelief Impact Therapy Device provide the perfect alternative. With multiple interchangeable impact therapy heads and four frequency settings, the device allows recovering athletes to target different muscular areas and adjust pressure based on various levels of sensitivity and damage.
The massage gun is a luxury Christmas gift coming in at $189.98. Of course, classic rolling devices like The Body Stick ($59.98) and RAD Rounds Massage Balls ($19.98) are more economical, and their effectiveness has stood the test of time.
Taking on Tennis Elbow
Although it has a medical definition, tennis elbow refers more to a general tenderness, pain, or injury suffered in and around the elbow, at least in colloquial terms.
Players can feel alone against the world when tackling tennis elbow or arm, wrist, or shoulder pain. Everyone and their dog has an opinion on the issue, and sometimes it feels like there is no real solution.
While it won’t help in every case, players can certainly give themselves a head start in preventing and recovering from arm pain by using softer tennis strings like multifilaments or even soft polyesters. A stiff setup with a high RA racket, high tension, and a classic polyester can lead to unfriendly vibrations up the arm.
Fairly priced multifilaments like Wilson Sensation or Head Velocity will soften up any stiff setup, and the more premium you go, the more comfortable the string gets.
The recent development of softer polyesters by top brands like Luxilon and Babolat has changed the attitude around the once-polarizing string type. Element, RPM Soft, and Luxilon Vibe are all great options that provide unique playing characteristics within the soft polys category. If you want to learn more, we've got an article all about soft polyesters.
If you know someone is suffering from tennis elbow or arm pain in general, you can book them a stringing appointment. We’ll walk them through their best options, be it a soft polyester, a multifilament, or anything else.
Restringing generally costs between $35 and $60.
Happy Gift Giving!
If you need a little extra help this season, we’ve got a fantastic team at your service in-store. You can also check out our more in-depth reviews on The Baseline and our YouTube channel.
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