TECHNICAL NOTE “GirGet Janbaz” Shoe: A New Specific Shoe for Patients With Upper Limb Impairments Yagoub Salekzamani, MD, Roya Eivazi, BS, Mohsen Eivazi, BS, Nariman Nezami, MD ABSTRACT Here is a description of a new specific shoe with a different opening and closing system, which designed for patients suffering from upper limb impairments. The GirGet Janbaz shoe is a new kind of shoe, which is equipped with a mechanical mechanism to enable its user to put the shoe on and take it off without using the hands. The opening and closing of this shoe is facilitated with zippers enclosed in both side quarters, and the patient can open and close the shoe by hitting or applying gentle pressure on the posterior part of it. (J Prosthet Orthot. 2009;21:171–172.) KEY INDEXING TERMS: lower limbs, orthotic, shoe O ne of the most essential elements of clothing in any persons’ wardrobe is their shoes. No other piece of clothing is designed to fit so precisely. Ill-fitting shoes can create shear forces that lead to skin breakdown as well as creating and facilitating toe and foot deformities and resultant falls. 1 Shoes have an important role in transferring body weight to the floor during walking. Also, they protect the feet against any environmental hazard. A suitable pair of shoes minimizes stress on all portions of the feet and acts as a shock absorber of ground reaction forces. 2 It should also be noted that a well-designed pair of shoes is an important part of many lower limb orthoses and aids in suitable prosthetic alignment as well as an energy-efficient gait. A shoe is com- posed of different parts including sole, heel, upper, lining, and reinforcements. Each component can be made with a wide variety of materials and designs, depending on the quality and specific use of the shoe. 3 Various shoe modifica- tions can be done to address the functional and anatomic deformities of the foot and leg. The reasons to modify shoes in adults include stabilizing the foot, providing a support surface for the foot, providing the best mechanical advantage during walking, and possibly serving as an attachment for conventional orthoses. In children, the purposes of modifi- cation include serving as a firm base for sole modification as well as for inserting footplates and foot orthoses. 4 This article provides a brief description of a new type of shoe, named the GirGet Janbaz shoe, which is suitable for people suffering from upper limb impairments. GIRGET SHOE The GirGet shoe is a new style of shoe in which the opening and closing part is located on the upper posterior portion, and the two zippers are enclosed in the quarters (Fig. 1). In this style of shoe, the wearer does not need to use the hands to put on or take off the shoe; the patient can open the shoe by applying gentle pressure to the posterior part of the shoe. Also he/she can completely close the shoe by ap- plying pressure again. For this purpose, two small pipes are set between the insole and outsole of the shoe. Each pipe, in fact, has two other parts inside itself. One is a metal spring that is connected to the anterior end of the pipe. The second part is a small pin located inside the pipe, which acts as a piston-like instrument. It moves within and outside of the pipe. Each end of this pin is connected to other parts. It is anteriorly attached to the spring and posteriorly connected to the crescent-type external heel. The external heel also is connected to the zippers by means of two connector pins. The zippers are obliquely located in the both side quarters. Fi- nally, the system is controlled by a clasp, which is located between the pipes (Fig. 2). YAGOUB SALEKZAMANI, is affiliated with the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Tabriz University of Med- ical Science, Tabriz, Iran. ROYA EIVAZI, BS and MOHSEN EIVAZI, BS, are affiliated with the Iranian Red Crescent Organization, Tabriz, Iran. NARIMAN NEZAMI, MD, is affiliated with the Department of Ortho- pedics, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran; Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran; Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran; Young Researchers Club, Tabriz Is- lamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran; and Department of Radiology, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran. Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists. Correspondence to: Nariman Nezami, MD, Clinical Pharmacy Lab- oratory, Drug Applied Research Center, Pashmineh, Daneshgah Street, Tabriz, Iran; e-mail: Dr.Nezami@gmail.com 171 Volume 21 • Number 3 • 2009