Getting Started Guide
How to use your Stimsoles®, get your laces’ tension right, and what to expect.
BioPods® Stimsoles® work like an exercise program in your shoes to safely retrain and maintain healthy function throughout your feet, legs, hips, and back.
Results can be immediate or it may take a week or two before you begin to notice changes.
The good news is that virtually everyone can regain a healthy protective reflex function, often much more quickly than you’d expect. Children typically respond to Stimsoles the quickest, while seniors take a bit more time.
Soft tissue adjustment phase
As with any muscle training, you may experience a period of soft tissue adjustment as your neuromuscular system retrains to work more efficiently and alignment improves. This adjustment phase may continue for 6-8 weeks.
During this period, it is normal to experience occasional twinges, tightness, or slight soreness in different areas as your body adjusts. This is especially true if you have pre-existing scar tissue or fibrosis from a historic injury. Inelastic fibrotic tissues can become “sticking points” that may be persistently painful as your alignment improves. These “sticking point” fibrotic tissues can be easily treated by a medical professional through employment of complementary soft tissue mobilization therapies to regain the tissues’ natural elasticity. These therapies include, but are not limited to, ultrasound, deep tissue massage, A.R.T. (Active Release Technique), and Graston Technique. After a few treatments, these sticking points should be resolved and allow alignment and function to improve unimpeded.
Note: BioPods do not treat damaged tissue that has been caused by trauma or historical or degenerative stresses resulting from poor foot mechanics. As noted above, damaged tissues will need to be treated by a healthcare professional using soft tissue mobilization therapies.
Your body may respond to Stimsoles differently depending upon your footwear.
To obtain the best and most rapid benefits, use Stimsoles in soft, flexible, loosely-laced footwear that allows your toes and arches to rise easily.
Stiff, restrictive, tightly laced footwear that inhibits the dynamic rising of the arches and toes will impede the Stimsoles’ effectiveness. The tighter and more restrictive the footwear, the less effective the Stimsoles.
BioPods Stimsoles should not be used in shoes with heels higher than 1″.
If you find BioPods Stimsoles uncomfortable:
- Try them in different shoes to see if you have the same experience.
- Or take the Stimsoles out of your shoes, place them on the floor (a hard surface is best – not carpet) to see if you feel the same issue.
Most often it will be footwear incompatibility that is causing the discomfort. If the Stimsoles are uncomfortable when on the floor, you may need to use a lower stimulus level or you may have a pre-existing condition that requires soft tissue mobilization therapy prior to using Stimsoles. See below.
For more information on the effects of footwear, click here.
For more information on choosing the optimal footwear, click here.
Your body may respond to Stimsoles differently depending on your starting foot mobility (how easily you can raise your toes):
If you can easily raise your toes
If you can easily raise your toes, your feet will adapt quickly to Stimsoles when used in optimal footwear. The Stimsoles’ Pods may feel a little strange under your feet initially, however, they should become virtually unnoticeable within a short period of time. You may experience transitory aches or pains anywhere in your feet, legs, hips or back as alignment and function improves.
Any pain that persists would be caused by either pre-existing fibrotic/scar tissue or by your specific shoes’ design characteristics. If the pain persists despite using Stimsoles in different footwear, the cause would be pre-existing fibrotic/scar tissue. In this instance, have your healthcare professional apply soft tissue mobilization therapies. If the pain only occurs when using the Stimsoles in specific footwear, discontinuing using that footwear.
If you can only raise your toes a little bit
If you can only raise your toes a little bit, your feet will adapt more slowly to Stimsoles when used in optimal footwear. Limited toe movement is usually caused by a combination of poor muscle function and flexibility, both of which will improve with consistent Stimsole use. The Stimsoles’ Pods may feel a little strange under your feet initially, however, they should become virtually unnoticeable as your foot mobility improves. You may experience transitory aches or pain anywhere in your feet, legs, hips or back as alignment and function improves.
Any pain that persists would be caused by either pre-existing fibrotic/scar tissue or by your specific shoes’ design characteristics. If the pain persists when using Stimsoles in different footwear, the cause would be pre-existing fibrotic/scar tissue. In this instance, have your healthcare professional employ soft tissue mobilization therapies. If the pain only occurs when using the Stimsoles in specific footwear, discontinuing using that footwear.
If you can can’t raise your toes at all
If you can can’t raise your toes at all, it is usually because of extremely poor muscle function and poor flexibility or actual joint fusion caused by surgery or arthritis. In these instances, even when Stimsoles are used in optimal footwear, the Pods’ stimulus may be uncomfortable or intolerable.
If your limited toe movement is caused by poor muscle function and poor flexibility, it may be necessary to have your healthcare professional employ soft tissue mobilization therapies prior to using Stimsoles.
If your limited toe movement is caused by irreversible joint fusion as a result of arthritis, Stimsoles may not suitable for you. The only way to know for sure is to try them.
Initially, the Stimsoles’ Pods may feel somewhat strange under your feet but should become virtually unnoticeable as your foot mobility improves. You may experience transitory aches or pain anywhere in your feet, legs, hips, or back as alignment and function improves.
Any persistent pain would be caused by pre-existing fibrotic/scar tissue or by your specific shoes’ design characteristics. If the pain persists despite changing your footwear, the cause would be pre-existing fibrotic/scar tissue. If the pain only occurs when using the Stimsoles in specific footwear, discontinuing using that footwear.
Need a hand?
We’re available by phone and chat Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm ET or check out the frequently asked questions.