"My father treated plantar fasciitis for 40 years" – This orthopedist (54) completes his work. The offloading insole that has freed over 1,100 patients from plantar pain.

In a consulting room in Paris, a black and white photo hangs on the wall: a man in a white coat, leaning over a foot. It's Henri Gilbert – an orthopedist for 40 years. His daughter Petra, now an orthopedic specialist herself, has brought his unfinished prototype to market. We went to meet her in her practice.

Dr. med. Petra Gilbert (54) in her orthopedic practice in Paris. On the wall, a photo of her father – the orthopedist who started it all.

"I grew up with plantar fasciitis"

Paris, March. Petra Gilbert sits in her consulting room and points to a framed black and white photo on the wall. It shows a man in a white coat, leaning over a foot. "That's my father," she says. "Henri Gilbert. An orthopedist in Paris for 40 years."

As a child, Petra often came home from school and joined her father's practice. She saw patients who could barely walk. She heard them describe the sensation with every step: "Like a nail in the heel." Always the same words. Always the same diagnosis: plantar fasciitis.

"My father treated thousands of patients," she recounts. "Custom insoles, prescribed therapies, cortisone injections. But he knew: none of it truly solves the problem."

Henri Gilbert (1943–2021) in his practice in Paris. For 40 years, he treated patients suffering from plantar fasciitis.

Why plantar fasciitis is so persistent

To understand why most plantar fasciitis treatments fail, one must understand what happens in the foot:

The plantar fascia is a strong connective tissue that supports the arch of your foot. It is stressed with every step. When your shoes don't provide proper arch support – which most don't – the entire pressure is transferred directly to the plantar fascia.

The result: tiny tears in the tissue. Chronic inflammation. Excruciating pain, especially in the morning with the first step.

The plantar fascia: the connective tissue that becomes inflamed in plantar fasciitis and causes excruciating heel pain.

Traditional insoles? Flat, rigid, mass-produced. They don't distribute weight correctly – they transfer pressure to the inflamed area. Cushioned shoes? They offer temporary relief, but weaken the foot muscles in the long run – and worsen plantar fasciitis.

"My father knew all of this," says Dr. Gilbert. "That's why he worked on something else in the last years of his life."

The prototype discovered in the workshop

In 2019, Henri Gilbert retired. Six months later, he fell ill. While tidying his workshop, Petra found something in a drawer: an unfinished prototype of an offloading insole. Next to it: notes, sketches, calculations. All by hand.

"He had been working on it for years, without telling anyone," she says softly. "The concept was brilliant: instead of passively supporting the foot, the insole should, with every step, actively massage the plantar fascia and reposition the arch to its anatomically correct position."

Henri Gilbert's original sketches – the foundation of the StepEasy™ insoles.

Petra took the documents to her practice. She contacted biomechanics and foot specialists. Together, they developed her father's prototype. 30 materials. 12 versions. 14 months of development.

The result: the StepEasy™ Offloading Insoles.

First tests on plantar fasciitis patients

The finalized StepEasy™ insole – developed from Henri Gilbert's research.

"I first gave them to my most severe plantar fasciitis cases," Dr. Gilbert recounts. "Patients for whom nothing else had worked. Who were already considering surgery."

The feedback was quick:

• After 3 to 5 days: Significantly less plantar fasciitis pain upon waking in the morning
• After 2 weeks: Many patients could walk long distances again without pain
• After 30 days: In over 90% of patients, plantar fasciitis pain had drastically decreased

One patient, Madame Schneider (58) from Lyon, stated during her follow-up visit:

"Doctor, for the first time in three years, I can get up in the morning without crying in pain."

The biomechanical effect of StepEasy™ offloading insoles on the arch of the foot in plantar fasciitis.

What sets StepEasy™ insoles apart from other plantar fasciitis products

We ask Dr. Gilbert what distinguishes her insoles from the hundreds of products on the market:

"The secret is the combination," she explains. "My father understood that plantar fasciitis cannot be treated passively. The foot must be actively supported with every step – this is precisely what the massage nubs do."

What plantar fasciitis patients say about StepEasy™ insoles

Where to get StepEasy™ insoles

StepEasy™ insoles are available exclusively through Dr. Gilbert's online store – https://enluza.com/products/semelles-orthopediques-pour-soulager-les-douleurs-au-talon-et-la-fasciite-plantaire. The site is run by her grandchildren, who help her with distribution.

"My grandchildren helped me set up the store," she says with a smile. "I'm a doctor, not an IT specialist. But it was important to me that the insoles were sold directly by us. On Amazon, there are cheap copies that look similar, but have nothing to do with my plantar fasciitis technology."

Currently, there is a special promotion with 60% off – while supplies last.

StepEasy™ insoles fit all types of shoes – from work shoes to sneakers.

Why StepEasy™ insoles are so much cheaper

We ask Dr. Gilbert why StepEasy™ insoles are so much cheaper than comparable orthopedic products. Her answer:

"My father saw people suffer from plantar fasciitis for 40 years – people who couldn't afford expensive treatments. I didn't develop StepEasy™ insoles to get rich. I developed them so that everyone can afford to walk without pain."

StepEasy™ insoles are currently available with a 60% discount.

90-day risk-free trial

"Because I believe 100% in my product, I offer a 90-day trial guarantee. If you are not satisfied within 90 days, you get your money back. No questions asked."

After more than 1,100 plantar fasciitis patients have worn her insoles, the return rate is less than 3%.

More plantar fasciitis patients share their testimonials

Dr. med. Petra Gilbert – orthopedic specialist and creator of the StepEasy™ offloading insoles.

"Every time a patient tells me their plantar fasciitis pain is gone, I think of my father," says Dr. Gilbert, concluding our interview. "He would have been happy to see that his prototype is now helping thousands of people."