In the mid-1980s Al Gallegos was running an average of seven miles per day. As a result, he developed all the typical injuries associated with running: heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and back pain. Al, who owned a shoe store at that time, had access to any type of running shoe available, yet none of them helped in any way to reduce his pain.

Al realized that his injuries were caused by the impact of hitting the ground while running. He believed that by putting a "shock absorber" in the heel of his shoe, he could reduce the impact to his body, and therefore the pain. Additionally, he figured a coil would provide some form of energy return that would allow him to run faster and farther.

Al tried various types of springs before finding the one that worked best, a three-inch-wide, conical-coil steel spring that, when totally compressed, was about a quarter of an inch high. He had the local butcher cut the soles of his shoes so the springs could be glued in. Over the next few years, he began to think seriously of manufacturing his shoes when friends who were suffering the same ailments began asking for springs in their shoes. He realized that if the spring shoes helped him and his friends, maybe they would help a lot of people. In anticipation of future manufacturing, Mr. Gallegos patented his design and opened his new business, Z-Tech Inc., with his son Andres Gallegos.

Excited about their design, Al and Andres started looking for manufacturers to bring their idea to life. Time after time they were turned away. Shoe industry experts told them it was impossible to make a shoe with such a design. Some just laughed at the idea. Marketing experts were sure their idea would never take off. Undiscouraged, and even determined, Al and Andres continued to pursue their dream.

Opportunity knocked in the form of Mr. Yong Oh Lee from Pusan, South Korea. Mr. Lee, a shoe manufacturer, was looking for new clients. Through an advertisement in a local paper he offered to construct a shoe of any design for $50. Needless to say, he was a little surprised by Al's concept. The first prototypes that came from Korea looked exactly like a shoe with a spring stuck in the heel. While the prototypes looked like a good start, they did not function the way Al had envisioned.

In 1997 a functional design for a running shoe was developed. Mr. Gallegos and his son placed an order for 2,000 pair. The shoe functioned perfectly well for impact reduction, but due to a defect rate of 20%, it was not the success they had hoped for. The metal used to fabricate the coils was not of a strong enough quality to withstand the impact it was meant to absorb. Interestingly, this problem did not temper customers' enthusiasm. Although they had paid $120 for their shoes, customers were coming back and requesting that the shoes be repaired, not refunded. It was a testimonial to the effectiveness of the pain relief being provided. It also guided the company in a new direction, away from running shoes to developing a whole new industry: pain relief footwear^TM.

Since 1997, a lot has changed at the company. Mr. Lee has given up his other clients and now works exclusively for Z-CoiL. The company name was changed to better identify with the product. The focus on pain relief has led to many improvements and modifications to the design of the footwear. With every order from Korea larger than the last, the company is growing fast, with new authorized resellers signing up at a rate of ten per month. Thanks to their growing availability, thousands of people are finding pain relief in the form of Z-CoiL^® footwear.

Mr. Gallegos, now in his seventies, still goes out once in a while for a two-mile jog. He now focuses on research and development for the company and serves as Chairman of the Board. Andres Gallegos, meanwhile, serves as President and Chief Executive Officer.

Z-CoiL has evolved from Al Gallegos' quest to end his own pain to his quest to end the pain of countless people who are suffering daily from foot, leg, and back pain.