| Sole Fitness touts their expertise in biomechanics and | | | | attempted to address the problem by moving the |
| ergonomics as the driving factor that makes their | | | | foot pedals closer together, but this doesn't |
| treadmills and elliptical trainers stand above the | | | | completely address the cause of numb feet on |
| competition. It's one thing to talk a good game, but | | | | elliptical trainers. |
| how does that really come through in the product | | | | Sole engineers consulted with a prominent physical |
| line? The good news is that Sole Fitness appears to | | | | therapist and sports medicine expert in order to get |
| "walk the talk". | | | | a thorough understanding of the problem. It turns out |
| Sole Fitness has been in business for a little over 10 | | | | that striding on an elliptical trainer throws the body's |
| years. Not that long when compared to some of the | | | | natural alignment off kilter. This occurs during the |
| big names in the fitness equipment industry, but they | | | | backward thrust of the leg. This is why you see |
| have quickly become recognized for producing quality | | | | many trainees swaying their hips from side-to-side. |
| treadmills. This recognition has been accelerated by | | | | It's really not a result of them using bad form, but of |
| the rental arrangement between Sole Fitness and the | | | | poor foot pedal design. |
| Hilton Hotel chain. Sole treadmills are provided for | | | | Some elliptical manufacturers have tried to deal with |
| in-room fitness service at many Hilton hotels. | | | | this problem by moving the foot pedals closer |
| Sole's value proposition (at least to their customers) | | | | together. Sole realized that this solution was only a |
| is to offer a durable piece of fitness equipment, | | | | partial one and that to place the body back into a |
| manufactured with quality components, at an | | | | neutral alignment required angling the foot pedals in |
| affordable price with a generous warranty. For | | | | by 2 degrees. This almost imperceptible tweak |
| investors and other stakeholders in Sole Fitness, the | | | | resulted in a noticeable improvement in the |
| warranty part might have been their undoing. | | | | discomfort many trainees experience in their ankles, |
| However, their engineers must know their stuff since | | | | knees, hips, and backs. To make things even better, |
| the company hasn't been run into bankruptcy due to | | | | Sole allows this angle to be adjusted on their top-end |
| excessive product returns. | | | | ellipticals such as the E95 since one size does not fit |
| But what about Sole Fitness Elliptical Trainers - can | | | | all. |
| they keep up with Sole treadmills? | | | | Sole makes 4 main models of ellipticals: the E25, E35, |
| The little mentioned, but widespread biomechanical | | | | E55, and the E95. Sole ellipticals are actually |
| problem of numb feet while using an elliptical trainer | | | | re-branded Spirit ellipticals, which are also re-branded |
| has been gaining attention recently. This clearly is the | | | | in Australia and New Zealand under the HealthStream |
| dirty little secret of the fitness equipment industry | | | | name. Oh yeah, and Sole Fitness elliptical trainers also |
| and most manufacturers don't have a solution for it | | | | come with a very generous warranty, just like their |
| though all are well aware of it. Some have quietly | | | | treadmill siblings! |