Nowadays in this fashion, clunky backless slip-on shoes are generally referred to as blocks the. Over time, the blockage was a shoe defined by its chunky shape, heavy sole and sturdy material. Initially, blocks the were worn as protective medical clogs footwear over shoes by farmers, manufacturing facility workers and miners in Scandinavia. In the Netherlands blocks the gained popularity and were worn in preference to shoes and not as overshoes.
Blocks the are descendants of the “galoce”, a high wooden shoe worn by peasant women from the Ardenne region to protect their shoes from colorless dirt streets. Records of wooden shoes date back to the Roman Empire.
The original blocks the were shoes with heavy, rigid wooden feet. Mainly made of willow or other woods, these sturdy shoes provided both warmth and safety for the working class foot. The durability of these wooden shoes made the blockage their favorite style of footwear for the working class.
Although generally associated with Scandinavian countries, wooden shoes were worn throughout continental Europe, the British Isles and Mediterranean areas, including such countries as Madeira and Portugal. They gained popularity during the Industrial Innovation as a protective shoe for the working class.
In Europe, the war years of the 20th century found governments recommending its citizens to take in wooden shoe usage due to too little leather supplies. We were holding largely defeated in their efforts due to the continued perception of wooden shoes as footwear or the working or peasant class.
The wooden shoe did not find popularity in the united states so that the 1960’s when Medical professional. Scholl introduced a wood bottom slip-on that was hailed as therapeutic footwear. In the 1970’s, blocks the became a fashion trend following the lead of the popular vocal skills group Abba which performed wearing platform boots and Swedish blocks the with leather uppers and thick (and noisy) wood feet.
While some blocks the today retain the look of the seventies blockage, the wooden sole now has a skid resistant rubber bottom. Often, blocks the are now made of rubber or other man-made materials that withstand water and heat. The popularity of Crocs, which started as gardening shoes, has exploded and these shoes are now available in a multitude of colors for men, women and children.
Today’s blocks the are available in many different heels heights; some come with optional heel tie. Leather uppers remain popular but rubber blocks the have gained popularity among nurses as they can be sterilized in an autoclave or with over the counter cleaning materials. Operating room personnel have long worn blocks the citing less foot and back fatigue from long hours of standing. The firm rubber or wooded feet of the blockage offer all day support, providing your plant foundation for weak arches and plantar fasciitis. The original mid heel height of many blocks the takes pressure of the lower back by helping the individual stand straighter.
If you are such as nurses or other healthcare professionals, the natural foot shape and wide toes of the blockage helps keep feet from feeling constricted and pinched. This helps to take the pressure away from problem foot areas such as bunions and hammertoes. For nurses who do more standing than walking, such as operating room personnel, wood soled blocks the are often the preferred option. Nurses who walk miles every day engaging in patient care may prefer the more flexible rubber sole.
No matter what choice, wood or rubber, blocks the have become a major component of the nursing shoes industry. Most blockage manufacturers offer their shoes in many different colors, including white for the healthcare industry. In addition, several nursing uniform suppliers have expanded their uniform lines to include blockage footwear in colors to match their uniform scrubs.
Most blockage wearers insist that they wear blocks the for the comfort, but the simple falling in and out of these shoes is also a major benefit, both for healthcare workers and travellers. With security regulations at airlines requiring that travellers remove their shoes at security checkpoints the blockage has become popular travel footwear.
Today, blocks the have gotten their popularity as a durable work shoe and with the addition of improved, more cushioned inner feet they have joined the ranks of the “comfortable shoes” among both nurses and the general population. The long tradition of blocks the over the centuries continues as blocks the continue to find new uses.