Professionally done, durable shoe inserts backed by excellent customer service! I have written a number of reviews, but they were always for something relatively unimportant, e.g. restaurants. This review is different because what American Heelers does has a direct impact on people's lives. A properly applied lift can make the difference between chronic back, hip, and knee pain, the need for surgery, pain medicines, and the ability to enjoy life. Why? Uneven leg length is a major problem affecting perhaps 60% of the population. It is an insidious problem because it doesn't show up as a "short leg." Instead, when the person starts having low back, hip, or knee pain, or arthritis and degenerative disc disease (these latter two very often requiring surgery), the very rare clinician checks for, and discovers a short leg is the cause. Leg length discrepancy (LLD) is a huge problem because very few therapists, chiropractors, MDs/Dos even consider it in their assessment, focusing on the site of pain rather than seemingly unrelated areas like the legs. For those who do consider LLD, fewer still know how to accurately check for it. My photo is of just a select few studies by researchers who are, in effect, trying to call the medical world's attention to this problem. I am a kinesiologist, and embarrassingly enough, I only became aware of the uneven leg length issue when the cause of my severe spine damage and scoliosis was FINALLY tracked to my 9 mm difference in leg length. Unfortunately, a life of military and firefighting service left me, at 55, with extensive damage requiring major spine surgery. However, with my leg length now corrected, I am hoping my scoliosis will correct over time as it did for another patient (see pictures) who also had scoliosis due to a short leg. In his case, he was young enough so that a simple insert and conservative treatment reversed the scoliosis. My wife also suffered from right sided sacroiliac pain despite years of various types of physical therapy and corrective exercise. As soon as we realized she was 7 mm short in the right leg, she got an insert (pictured) and her pain has been gone ever since. What about simple heel lifts? They were lifesavers but did not solve the problem completely. They only lift the heel, causing the foot to tilt down more (like a shallow high heel). This wasn't too big a deal until needing to walk downhill for any length of time when that additional tilt made the forefoot get jammed into the front of the shoe/boot. We tried full-length inserts, but they too caused problems as they fit inside the show, causing that foot to fit too tightly, especially with minimalist shoes. Also, with my big feet, heel inserts moved around. Enter American Heelers. When I saw the site and read through their method and guarantee, it seemed too good to be true. Their inserts are full length but built into the sole, meaning the actual space for one's feet remains as it should be. The full length insert also meant both feet would be level. Sold, I sent in my work boots (I also work as a paramedic), my daily-wear work / hiking boots, and my Merrells minimalist shoes. I got them back to me within a work week, and wow was I impressed. Everything was very neat and solid, and I was excited to test them out. We started "big" when my wife and I took a 13-mile hike in the mountains around Vail, CO. In retrospect, this was a bit chancy since neither of us had hiked more than 4-5 miles in years. Making such a big jump was just begging for blisters or other problems, never mind doing this with untested, modified shoes. However, the hike was fantastic! Yes, we were tired by the end, but our feet were just fine. My redone shoes were in perfect condition, and being a dork, I took pictures of them right afterward. My lifted Merrells are my gym wear and racquetball shoes, and in this American Heelers' work has held up great as well. Conclusion: This whole topic is so important I wanted to write this as a way to help others with this very real problem, so I put some work into this instead of just writing a "They're great!" type review. I've enclosed some pictures to help inform you. Feel free to write me if more scientific, specific advice, or other information is needed. I have been, and will continue to refer therapists, friends, and others with possible uneven leg length-related problems to American Heelers. *Disclaimer: Leg length discrepancy can result from less common conditions such as ankle, foot, or pelvic abnormalities which might require something other than a simple lift. Choose your clinician wisely. read more

I will be devoted to this company for life. I first found this company when I was in a jam: I was out of town, and my daughter lost her shoe, and of course it was the one that had the lift. I spoke to John and he personally ensured that it would go out ASAP: I had new sneakers shipped via amazon Prime to them, and they made/shipped out the shoe the same day it was received. Then, I received calls from them asking how my toddler daughter was faring with her new shoes; I also received calls later checking up on how the lift was holding up to the wear and tear of an active child. The lift itself was done impeccably, and is incredibly sturdy and well-made. The tread on the bottom from the original shoe has held up beautifully as well. We have ordered three sets of shoes from American Heelers, and each one has held up as well as the day we've gotten them, and had months, if not years, of useful life left in them, had my daughter not outgrown the shoe itself. :-) Previously, my daughter's orthopedist recommended a major orthotic medical chain company (well-known in the northeastern US) and her lift was stuck to the bottom of the shoe, with this weird honeycomb tread. The lift from that other company cost a TON more than American Heelers, peeled away from the shoe, and got slippery if it had more than a granule of sand or dirt in the tread, causing my daughter to fall and splay her hips in a way that risked big injuries. I have recommended American Heelers to my daughter's orthopedist, her pediatrician, her PT and OT, and her school teachers. I can't say enough good things about this company, and the best part of all: they have opened the possibility of certain sports that we were told were off-limits to my daughter, with American Heelers' ability to create a lift in softball cleats, ice skates, etc. Thank you for giving us a whole new level of hope for my special-needs daughter, and thank you for the amazing work and amazing service John & Ilya! read more

This is the first time I've ever used American Heelers. I've used the same cobbler to add a 1 1/4" lift to my right shoe for the past fifteen years! That's a long time so I was really reluctant to try something new. However, the combination of American Heelers being able to use the shoe's natural tread and my cobbler being at retirement age led me to give them a try. I AM SO HAPPY I DID!!! I sent them a sandal and a sneaker, and both came back amazing and exactly as I requested. It's so exciting to know I can buy boots and keep the shoe's natural tread. No more worrying about slipping on ice like I have every other winter of my life! I can have proper tread on both my feet now! I can buy hiking shoes and have actual hiking tread on my shoes! This is really exciting! If you're considering using them, definitely do it! I will be sending them all future shoes I buy. American Heelers was a little pricier than my cobbler, but being able to keep the shoe's natural tread is worth way more than the price difference to me. Oh, and I was so impressed with the turnaround time too! My cobbler takes around three weeks to return my shoe (just one), and once American Heelers received my shoes, I got them back in about a week! I know it says on their site that's the turnaround time, but I had trouble believing that was possible! Really impressive. I'm so grateful I googled whatever I did that led me to them (and hope they're in business forever). Being able to keep the shoe's natural tread has opened up my shoe possibilities in a big way. read more

American Heelers' orthopedic shoe lifts changed my son's life. After multiple surgeries on his left leg, he always walked with a limp. I thought it was just habit until we discovered he actually had a more than 1/2 inch leg length discrepancy. He found internal shoe lifts incredibly uncomfortable. Internal shoe lifts also would not fit in all of his shoes, so he had to go without sometimes (for instance when wearing dress shoes). On those occasions, he could not walk properly and his back and leg would hurt. I found American Heelers and tried them out. The pair of sneakers I sent them as a test look great! You can hardly even see the lift when he is wearing the shoes and he walks much better. Now, that pair of sneakers is the only pair of shoes my son wants to wear because he feels so much better when wearing them and they look great. I just sent 5 more pair to be modified. American Heelers' customer service has also been truly excellent. They have called me at home twice to double check on things. This last time, they called to inquire why I had sent 4 left shoes and 1 right shoe and to ask whether that was intentional. Of course it was NOT intentional. I had made what could have been a very costly mistake because I sent the shoe for the wrong foot on a brand new pair of casual shoes. Because American Heelers caught my mistake and took the time to call me, I avoided having to throw out a brand new pair of shoes. I would definitely recommend them to anyone dealing with a leg length discrepancy. read more

I have been using American Heelers for the past 15 years even though I have moved several states across the US. I use them for a "lift" on my right shoe. The quality of their work has gone from good to awesome over these years. I recently sent them two right shoes (their shipping is free if you send 2 or more), NB 824 and 623. I could not believe my eyes when I received them - they shoe lift piece looked like original with no blemish on the shoe and the sole. You can't tell if the shoe had a lift or not. It was that good. They started off of with certain shoe styles in the beginning but now there isn't a shoe that they can't "uplift". you should give them a try. One thing is very predictable with them is their return time. Once the payment is made, they work day and night and weekends to make it happen to keep their promise of timely return. Even though I am in the pacific nw, I still use them because compared to American Heelers quality, time, workmanship and variety, shoe companies here and elsewhere are not on the same level. You may consider them slightly more pricy, that's because of their honeycombing tech, which to me is a God-send - it lightens the show. And over the years I use the shoes, it evens out to be more economical. You get what you pay for. THeir customer service is very friendly and very prompt. I highly and wholeheartedly recommend for you to give them a try. I will continue to use their service. read more

I have degenerative spinal issues and spondylolisthesis. In addition I have one hip that is a 1/2 higher than the other which makes walking/hiking excruciatingly painful. After many years with no help in sight, I found American Heelers by google research. I sent one tennis shoe in and I didn't expect great things but wow! What a life changing company. Since it was my first shoe and I quickly figured out I only needed the heel lift they made adjustments for me and didn't charge me for the extra adjustment. I started walking for pleasure and exercise for the first time in over 5 years without pain. Feeling confident- I started hiking again....without pain. So I bought another pair of tennis shoes and got new hiking shoes...American Heeler to the rescue again. I was able to hike in Wyoming last month and am now hiking in the Rocky Mountain National Park. I never thought I would be back walking and hiking. Literally without American Heelers I couldn't walk 1/4 mile on a flat path without pain. Thank you for giving me this part of my life back. And last but not least they were so wonderful and helped me through the whole process and followed up to make sure the shoe was right and doing what I needed. They are the ones that suggested I send it back for an adjustment. They care about what they are doing. To say the company is life changing is an understatement. read more

I highly recommend the services of Ilya and his team at American Heelers! I had replacement left hip, then left knee surgeries and ended up with a 5/8 to 3/4 inch leg length discrepancy, with the operated leg being that much taller. Over the last year it messed up my balance and caused considerable pain with the left thigh muscles spasming and IT band tightening up. I had to go back to physical therapy, but the big key in all of my efforts was getting shoe lifts added by Ilya and his team. They have corrected the imbalance and allowed me to get back to a normal life. I've had lifts added to 8 shoes: sneakers/walking shoes, sandals, even flip flops (so I can slip them on as soon as I'm up and can start off balanced). I highly recommend Ilya because he adds the very useful/helpful honeycombing service to make the lift more flexible. ( I tried another local provider here in Orlando area who did not do the honeycombing, and the shoe was much too stiff.) Ilya does a good job of getting the lift to "blend in" to the shoe, so most people don't notice the lift. Again, highly recommended! Also, if you send in several shoes at once, you get free shipping. And they are fast and work with you on quick turnarounds! Great company and service! read more

I have been a chronic pain patient for four years which started with a broken femur and ended with a hip replacement. The last surgery left my injured leg 5/8" longer than my normal one. It was not detected for nearly 2 years after that surgery by a physical therapist who couldn't understand why l had so much pain. I had my legs measured in a special xray, and when l got the results it became obvious that simple heel lifts would not be adequate to make my legs the same legnth. I found American Heelers online after recieving ridiculous prices from other prosthetic businesses nearby. Not only were they less expensive, but they modify all different types of shoes as well. Cutting out the middleman saves about 50%. So l sent them a shoe according to their instructions, and was happy to find how simple and efficient and professional they were. I quickly recieved my modified shoe in the mail and it was beautiful. I couldn't be happier! What a difference l already feel to be walking correctly again! My hips are aligned and the pain has already lessened. I highly recommend this company! It's nice to find businesses that deliver quality at reasonable prices with a high degree of professionalism! read more

My 14 yr old daughter has a leg length discrepency and needs to wear a 3/4 " lift in one of her shoes, she also has Scoliosis and her posture is way off so it is important that she wears this lift. You can not tell because it is inside the shoe. The style the kids like to wear now days are the slip on flip flops with socks and I didn't know if she would ever be able to wear flip flops because of the lift. My brother has used this company in the past and told me to try it. What an amazing job they did!! They were so helpful from the first time I called them. I sent the one Nike flip flop in and they were able to adjust it to the correct height. You can't even tell anything was done to the flip flop. My daughter is extremely happy with the results and as a Mom I am grateful that my daughter can wear any type of shoe she wants without having to worry about the lift. It is a little costly but it is well worth it. I would highly recommend American Heelers. The craftsmanship is amazing and they have great customer service !! I will for sure be using them again in the future when my daughter needs another flip flop done!! read more

Several joint replacements, combined with developing scoliosis and two areas of disc degeneration in my spine left me with a difference of just over 1/2" in leg length. I was having chronic back pain, requiring 2 or 3 epidurals a year, and plantar fasciitis from wearing a lift in one shoe. I tried having a local shoe store add another 1/2" to the bottoms of several pairs of shoes, but while better, that wasn't the best solution, as it changed the kind of traction in the sole and looked strange. I discovered American Heelers two years ago and have sent them every left shoe, usually three at a time, from every pair I buy. They've fixed at least 15 pairs in that time, including boots and sandals. They look great, they're durable and high quality, and the service is wonderful. I have never had one single problem. The best part of this whole change for me is that I have very few flareups of back pain now and have not had an injection since 2022. I also no longer have plantar fasciitis. Every dollar I've spent has been worth it! read more

I was looking for a place to alter shoes that my daughter wanted to wear. She has one leg 1" shorter than the other and as a young woman, did not want to have to wear special orthopedic shoes; she wanted to pick out a pair of shoes and have them altered. I found American Heelers through a Google search. They sent me a packet to send in the shoes. A week after they received the shoes they were mailed back completed. American Heelers had separated the sole, matched a 1" lift, and reset the rest of the sole. Since the lift is so big, you can see the difference in the shoes, but unless you were looking directly at the shoe, you would not see the seam. The lifts have lasted longer than the shoes themselves with daily wear, and we have used the service multiple times. Each time the service has been wonderful. They have a process to honeycomb the lift so it isn't as heavy, which is also helpful. We will continue to use this company as the product is good, the service is quick, and this has helped her back and hips immensely. read more

5/5 Stars because you guys have built three of the most reliable shoes that I have ever owned. In highschool, the first shoe I received was a converse low top with a 3 inch lift, that beast lasted me until I graduated and only broke once the original converse canvas started to tear. The lift never budged. The next shoe I received kept me solid through my first 2 jobs. This time I ordered it with honeycomb mesh because I knew I would be working on it, and it was worth it. The shoe survived months of working in below zero freezers and kept on going even after I drove over it with a 1,000lb M-cart. I am currently wearing the 4th product I've received from American Heelers and once again, the lift is holding up longer than the shoe itself. Solid material, build quality is top tier, and I have never had an issue with their costumer service. This is one of the only places where I can get a stylized shoe modified, without receiving an absolute brick that I must velco strap to my foot. read more

After being left "uneven" after a hip replacement I felt very depressed, unmotivated, feeling like damaged goods overall and wanted to just hide from everything and every body. I sent in 3 shoes for modification, They came back very quickly and the results were amazing, I'm not a very emotional guy but I remember putting them on and walking around and I got all choked up, thinking I can do this, it's all going to work out. I've probably sent another 3-4 for modification since then and the craftsmanship and customer service has always been awesome, one time the owner himself called me on a Saturday to verify and give me options on my order, I was surprised they were cranking away on a Saturday but he said "we gotta take care of our customers" To say I'm thankful for this company and for what they've done for me would be a gross understatement. they've helped me to feel normal again. Thank you so very much, you've helped me more than you'll ever know. read more

5 years ago a botched hip surgery left me w/one leg an inch and a quarter longer than the other. After trying different over the counter lifts and living w/the pain of length discrepancy, I found American Heelers from an internet search. I have had 2 back surgeries so walking straight is critical.. They do 2 or 3 pairs for me yearly. This company has been excellent at lifting my shoes so I can finally walk straight. Their communication & service is excellent. I did have one small issue w/a shoe they did a couple years ago. I emailed the company and there was no discussion. They said send it back & they will redo so I am satisfied.. W/all the rip companies out there, it's refreshing to find a company that does what they promise.. Also each pair that they have lifted, I have worn out the shoes & their heel lift job was still in tack.. I am a customer for life. My Name is Artie Moore & I'm from Sacramento, CA. read more

American Heelers do a great job and they stand by their work. When I was first told by my doctor that it might help with a lift in one of my shoes, I told him there was no way I could put 1/4" to 3/8" inside my shoe. The shoes would just not fit correctly. I tried a local shoe maker and was very unhappy with their work. Someone had told me about American Heelers. I immediately sent a left shoe off to them for a 3/8" lift. Now they offer free shipping when having two shoes lifted so I try to get two new pair of shoes at the same time. I were a lace sneaker type shoe most of the time, but have also had them lift flats, sandals, and boots. I have only had one shoe open up after the lift and they stood by their work and fixed the problem. My son even uses them for work boots he wears in the winery around water and chemicals. He has never had a problem that they did not correct. Sally Napa Valley, CA read more

I have a leg length discrepancy of just over 1/2 inch. I must stuff insoles and inserts into my shoes or have a shoe lift placed to correct the discrepancy. It is uncomfortable and difficult to properly address the difference without having the shoe "lifted." I have used American Heelers to apply a shoe lift on 3 pairs of shoes and getting ready to send in the 4th pair. Their work is awesome. My physical therapist was very pleased and stated the workmanship was excellent. If I keep my discrepancy evened out I reduce the discomfort shared by knees, hip, and back and mobility is much easier. The mailing process instituted by the company works flawlessly. I have personally spoken with Ilya and another at the company by phone and they were patient, helpful and assisted me answering all questions. Thank you to American Heelers! Life is more comfortable now! The adjustments also blend in nicely!! read more

American Heelers, is a great business with very highly skilled shoe repair specialist. I've gotten everything from walking shoes to work boots done and I've been completely satisfied with the great quality of their work. I'm very impressed with their awesome ability to cut the extremely thin sole of my Skechers walking shoes, add the needed shoe length and perfectly seal up their work with the original Skechers' sole at the very bottom of the shoe. Most other places aren't really successful at doing this with Skechers, but American Heelers can and will get the job done. Plus, their skilled honeycomb technique to make my shoe much lighter is obviously great on my feet. I truly love this company and I strongly recommend their services to anyone who requires a leg lift modification and or a specialization of shoes. I'm a customer for life and if you try them out, you'll be one, too. read more

American Heelers has lifted multiple shoes for me, and I'll keep going back. They do exactly what you want, turn the work around in an incredibly short time, and charge exactly what they say they will. I was frankly amazed at the color match of my latest pair - nice job! Once you contact them the first time, they send you a "kit" with clear instructions and shipping bag. You ship them the shoe, prepaid. The day after they receive the shoe, they send you the invoice. Once you pay the invoice, they start work quickly (dare I say IMMEDIATELY?), then ship the shoe back. And they thoughtfully include a new "kit" for your next order! My last order was 8 days from shipping to receiving, and I'm in CALIFORNIA. Local shops have a 2 week turnaround and wanted more money. It was a no-brainer to try American Heelers and I've never regretted it. read more

Following a hip replacement, I suddenly required a lift that is more than an inch thick. For my first shoe lift after the surgery, my surgeon's office recommended a local shop that cost double the amount of American Heelers and produced a heavy, clunky shoe. I found American Heelers online and loved their work so much that I've now sent them four different shoes. I love the honeycomb lift shoe design! The honeycomb design creates holes that make the lifts more flexible and lightweight. It makes such a huge difference! Also, the online process couldn't be easier. They send me the postage-paid envelope, I fill out a form, and pop it in the mail with the shoe. When the shoe is ready to be shipped back to me, I go online and pay, and a few days later I have the shoe! And I love that they can work with any style of shoe. read more