Don’t Bend It Like Beckham (Victoria’s feet, that is)
Could a new foot gadget have saved Victoria from the prospect of agonizing surgery?
DUBAI - Once again, Victoria Beckham’s feet are making news. She appears to have inspired a Dubai based Podiatrist to invent a new foot gadget to avoid her famous crooked toes and bunions – Podiatrist Michelle Champlin reports that she is seeing more and more bunions at her foot clinic in the wealthy Emirate of Dubai, the same foot problem reportedly causing David Beckham’s glamorous wife agony.
Victoria Beckham’s painful and unsightly foot condition can be blamed at least partly, if not fully, on her love of towering stilettos. Podiatrist Michelle sees ladies attending her clinic complaining of similar conditions, and they are mostly shocked to find out that the damage may require surgical intervention (bunionectomies) to alleviate. In other cases, medical insoles can help to relieve these. The glamorous ladies of Dubai, renowned for their sense of style and fashion, are horrified at the thought of being on crutches or in a wheelchair for a few months, or having to wear ‘sensible’ shoes or running shoes with a medical insole. It takes a lot to part style savvy ladies from their Manolo’s as Victoria Beckham would surely testify.
To answer this conundrum, Michelle invented a small device, the ‘Footerella’ launched recently, which tightens and tones women’s feet. Most bunions are caused by weak foot muscles, tendons and ligaments holding the foot structure in place, and added strain from being forced forward into stilettos is a recipe for bunions. Users attach three electrodes to each foot and electrical pulses contract various muscles in the foot structure to tighten and tone the foot up over the next few weeks. It can run different pre-set programs according to the user’s footwear (high heels, flats, running shoes etc). Intensity is easily controlled by the user, and the programs only last 30 minutes (Victoria could get through three cycles in each of David Beckham’s matches).
Michelle says of her aptly named ‘Footerella’ device ‘It’s the perfect answer for fashion conscious women who want to avoid bunions like Victoria Beckham’s, yet still squeeze into their Gina strappy sandals or Jimmy Choos. Many of these women would rather suffer the pain of bunions than wear orthotics and training shoes, or alternatively be off their feet for a few months with all the potential side effects of surgery. I think I’ve found the answer and our trials went amazingly well – many of our trialists even went down a shoe size.’
And no need for the boys to feel left out: “We’re launching a man’s version called Footbox shortly, although obviously to address different male foot issues such as sporting programs like football,” reports Michelle.
Footerella is available to buy online through www.footerella.com, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
About Podiatrist and Inventor Michelle Champlin
Founded in 2002 by Podiatrist Michelle Champlin, Dubai Podiatry Centre is the regional leader in foot and ankle health. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to eliminate foot pain and enhance quality of life through improved foot performance.
