EFFICIENCY EVALUATION

That one may feel, after only 3-5 minutes of walking (the manufacturer recommends 10-minute walks, several times a day, in preventive-therapeutic purposes) is the feeling of better circulation in feet and legs i.e. mostly in feet and lower legs (this sensation has been felt by almost each person walking on Vita Beach® and paying a little attention; more than 2/3 of the users reported it spontaneously). The users have indicated various types of sensations in feet and legs, describing it mostly as shiver, tickle, streaming, pins and needles effect, warmth and similar. After walking on Vita Beach® and putting the shoes on again, almost everyone felt their feet warmer than before. These are evident practical signs of improved bloodstream in the feet and legs circulatory system. In addition, most of the adult users reported significant decrease of pains and tiredness in their feet and legs after a hard working day.
MEDICAL EXPLANATION of this effect is very clear: by walking over bumps of the Vita Beach® mat (which imitates the sensation and functionality of walking on a real gravel beach) the mobility of joints in feet and ankles increases and so does the activity of the muscles of feet and legs. This causes more intensive activation of the “muscle pump” which directs the blood and accelerates its flow from capillaries and veins in feet towards larger veins of legs in direction of the heart. Circulation in feet is generally better while walking than while standing, but walking on an uneven surface (for example, on the Vita Beach®) has an exceptional effect of increasing the mobility of small joints leading to a more intensive activity and better efficiency of the ‘muscle pump’. All indicated occurrences should be felt by the users themselves as various types of sensations (as indicated above), which are not felt while walking on even and hard surfaces. Apart from that, this effect continues for some time after walking on Vita Beach® (ten minutes or so), which is the sign of the increased stimulation of all necessary structures of circulatory system of feet and legs and of the enhanced blood flow through these tissues. The positive effect of reduced heaviness, tiredness, and even swellings and pain in feet and legs after walking on the Vita Beach® is also related to the enhanced circulation and reduction of blood stagnation on the periphery of feet and legs ensuring the feeling of reduced pressure and heaviness.
In accordance to all the above mentioned, the CLINICAL USE of the Vita Beach® could involve prevention and treatment of almost all kinds of disorders in feet and legs circulatory system (apart from inflammatory processes!), varicose veins, in treatment of swellings (especially static swells and edema) of feet and legs (together with appropriate pharmacological therapy), use by persons with sensitive circulatory system and all other persons sensing difficulties in legs and feet after longer standing. The use is also recommended to heart patients with threatening or expressed hearth decompensation and lower leg edema;

refers to enhanced growth and development of children’s feet (especially in the period from the first to the fourth year while they develop the most). It is very hard to prove scientifically the preventive effect on healthy children’s feet. However, we have included in our research the children with pathological finding: congenital deformities of feet (usually metatarsus adductus and equinovarus, some treated surgically and some not) as well as those with functionally (during walking) inverted feet. The children who walked several times a day, for 10-15 minutes at least, on the Vita Beach® had better-shaped and more mobile feet than children of the same age who had not walked on uneven floors. In addition, the post surgical recovery of the surgical patients was faster, with less complications, and their return to their everyday activities was less painful and with less parental assistance. Naturally, the therapeutic recommendation to walk on the Vita Beach® was supplemental to all other applied orthopedic methods of treatment. This effect is close to the effect which is registered on the feet of the children which spend a part of the day walking on natural and uneven surroundings, especially on gravel beaches (such children living mostly on the islands and coastal area), and visible when such feet are compared with the feet of the children walking only on artificial, unnatural, even and hard surfaces (children of the city mostly).
MEDICAL EXPLANATION of the 2nd effect: the physicians over the world, the (‘children’) orthopedists in particular, are familiar with the problem of flat feet, especially in the little child age, when the foot develops and grows the most and when no orthotic orthopedic treatment showed hardly any efficiency and has therefore been abandoned (e.g. corrective orthopedic socks / shoes are not prescribed until the third, fourth or even sixth year of age). Up to the present day, the real reason of weaker development of children’s feet as compared to former generations (before thirty years or more) has not been determined with certainty. The only possible (logical) reason is walking mostly on even and hard surfaces (tail, parquet, concrete and asphalt surfaces and similar). By walking on such UNNATURAL floors, with even and hard surfaces, the feet, and undeveloped children’s feet in particular (with yet unshaped insteps, filled with fat tissue – “pillows” on the places where insteps shall be formed afterwards), are not receiving from the surface by their extero- and proprioceptors enough sensations-information for their proper development. A part of these feet are developed subsequently (due to this, some orthopedists do not consider this to be a significant problem because they deem it only as postponed / late development of the feet) while the other part does not developed properly. Apart from that, the majority of studies on feet problems of the elderly (after 60 years of age) mention the ever-growing percentage of persons of this age having various feet problems. Some of these studies find that more than 70% of persons have this kind of problems. Although difficult to prove, but taking into account all the aforementioned and looking at the man in the integrity of his development (from conception to death), we would certainly be close to the truth if we relate the problems in older age with weak and inadequate feet development in younger age! Needless to say, the genetic predisposition has its influence on growth and development of the feet of an individual, but it is certainly not determinative for the occurrence of difficulties. Therefore, it would be of interest of each individual to provide for adequate development and growth of all organs during all life periods, and especially in the period when growth and development are the most rapid. Walking on an uneven surface (such as Vita Beach®) would provide much more sensations (information) to proprio- and exteroceptors of the feet, especially to those within the system of postural control, and would maintain the system of postural control more active than by walking on even and hard - unnatural surfaces.
Preventive and therapeutic CLINICAL USE and recommendation to use Vita Beach® would refer to all the children older than one year (when they begin to walk) until they end to grow regardless of possible foot pathology, and even more to those having any foot deformities and those who have been treated surgically, naturally, pursuant to the recommendation of the specialist;

of the medical floor mat Vita Beach®, arises from its uneven surface and its elasticity and it is visible in strengthening of the muscles of feet and legs. This has been noticed by the patients themselves, but primarily by us, physicians, especially in the field of prevention of less developed feet or treatment of deformed (e.g. flat) feet. The best results were achieved with children and young people in treatment of flat feet (Pedes planovalgi), when combining the exercises of walking on uneven surfaces (e.g. Vita Beach®) and use of corrective orthopaedic insoles or orthopaedic shoes (for smaller children).
MEDICAL EXPLANATION of this effect is very simple and it lies mostly in the necessity of strengthening of all the muscles in feet and legs (both extrinsic and intrinsic). Namely, while walking on the surface such as is Vita Beach ® one has to overcome smaller and larger bumps, descending into the polyurethanic foam base and, immediately after that, he/she is required to pull the body out by muscle contractions. Apart from that, the muscles of feet and legs have to balance the whole time in order to keep the body in the standing position.
CLINICAL USE of this effect, taken separately, would refer to all pathological conditions implying weak foot muscles (hypo-tonic /-throphic) i.e. certain neurological illnesses, posttraumatic conditions, after longer plaster cast or other form of immobilization, after certain surgical interventions etc. The most common use in evaluation of ‘our’ patients was as supplemental therapy for flat feet, combined with application of corrective orthopedic socks;

walking on the Vita Beach® mat is extension of tendons and other soft tissues of the feet. This effect occurs in the same way as strengthening of the muscles in feet and legs. Moreover, these two effects overlap. The users of the Vita Beach® have described this effect as softness and relaxation of feet after walking, or as reduction or total disappearance of tension in feet and legs.
MEDICAL EXPLANATION of this effect is also very simple: feet and legs have to adjust to the bumps of uneven surfaces (such as those of the Vita Beach®) which they encounter while walking. Tendons, muscles and soft tissues have to extend under the weight of the body (as an ideal measure) due to continuous necessity to adjust to the uneven surface (in addition, in order to overcome the “barrier” – the muscles and tendons have to lift the feet and body and, in this way, they strengthen, as indicated above. It is evident that the two effects practically overlap and therefore they maybe should be addressed together).
CLINICAL USE of this effect of extending feet tendons would be in all conditions of reduced feet tendons (especially in plantar aponeurosis), in feet deformations (especially Pes cavus, Pes equinovarus and others), in foot and leg overuse syndromes (especially Fascitis plantaris), in some neurological illnesses which lead to rigidity of the feet and muscle spasm (conditions following brain insult, multiple sclerosis, certain tumors, cerebral paralysis, poliomyelitis and others), in post surgical and post-burn conditions, etc. It is also proven to be beneficial for sportsmen (especially after trainings/competitions when, particularly in certain sports, it is necessary to extend and relax the tendons and muscles of feet and lower leg, which is also useful before important competitions). Safe recommendation is given to children / young people who grow rapidly since this would be an ideal exercise for extending the tendons which have been reduced by rapid growth, sometimes up to the level of contractures;

f Vita Beach®, as recognized by the users themselves (insignificantly less then the sensation of better feet circulation) has been as efficient massage tool and a tool for stimulation of reflex zones on the foot soles. Among all other effects described in this Evaluation, this effect has been expressed in the greatest variety of sensations felt by the users and patients. Some of these varieties are: better digestion and regular stool, falling asleep easier and better rest, the sensation of better urination, generally better sensation of living and more active approach to everyday living tasks, less depressive and less pessimistic thoughts, weaker and shorter duration of low back pain (by the persons who had experienced it), back pains in general and pains in joints and legs, the feeling of easier breathing (by the persons experiencing respiratory difficulties as a separate problem or as a symptom of a respiratory disease), increased libido and better sex life, the sense of relaxation, recovery of the strength and other.
MEDICAL EXPLANATION of this effect has been known for a long time and entirely described in oriental and western literature and we consider it redundant to elaborate that practically all internal organs in the body have their reflex zones on the soles. Some of these effects have been scientifically proven (e.g. better urination after acupressure stimulation of sole reflex zones) which all goes in favor of these effects. In addition, over the centuries, the oriental countries cherish the cult of walking on uneven surfaces (various kinds of uneven stone surfaces in front of the houses) mostly in the morning, after getting up, recognizing positive effects of such activity. In addition, the market is overwhelmed with various reflexology products, but there is only few of them using walking and body weight as only proper measures for achieving the reflexo-therapeutic effects.
CLINICAL USE of all these reflexogenic effects could involve healthy and ill people who wish to enhance their health and functioning of the organs of their body. The span is wide – from are short term and easily achievable to long-term beneficial effects. As universal reflexological therapy, Vita Beach® is recommendable primarily to professional and recreational sportsmen, after sports/ recreational activities, but also to all others exercising any kind of activity (dancing, acting, music performing and other). Vita Beach® should be a regular inventory of each fitness and wellness area, each hall and club intended for recreational-sporting activity, each school and university sporting hall, each rehabilitation institution, sports kindergarten, placed along the swimming pool and on other locations. The application of these effects over the centuries by oriental population and proved influence on duration of life is also well known and scientifically proved. The features of Vita Beach ® made it came close or even to achieve the status of an ideal medical reflexology product. In addition to its known reflexo-therapeutic effects, Vita Beach ® has the following advantages: 1. high quality of the base with the possibility of simple and unlimited widening (according to the needs of an individual and the available space), 2. simplicity and universality of application (leaving no doubt to the users as to whether to use it or not to use it due to complexity), 3. long functional durability (which does not change over the time) which comes as a result of high quality material used for its manufacturing (two-component polyurethane) and 4. maybe the most important – the necessity to use walking as a unit of movement and weight as a unit/measure of stimulation, providing for unlimited universality from one side and strict individuality of use on the other side;

of Vita Beach® refers to the specific group of patients suffering from initial stages of diabetes. It is well known that a large number of diabetics suffer from foot wounds. Therefore, it is one of the imperatives of treatment to prevent the occurrence of such wounds (because when they appear it is often late for appropriate treatment, and a large number of such cases end by amputations on various levels of feet and legs, and one part has also a lethal outcome). During the testing period of Vita Beach ® we have observed a number of patients with diabetes out of which the majority was satisfied and some of them very satisfied with the effects of walking on such an uneven surface. Some of these patients achieved significantly lower levels of glucose in the blood and urine, as compared to the period before they started to use this therapy (some of them have been consulted by their diabetologists to reduce the amount of their insulin therapy). The study on 15 patients having diabetes type II is in its final stage and will soon be published to the professional and scientific auditorium.
The MEDICAL EXPLANATION is specific for these patients and it has been mentioned when discussing the effect of better circulation. Better mobility of small joints, better circulation and consequential lower level of blood edema (with pathologic contents of glucose and non-physiological catabolites), firstly in the foot microcirculatory area and later in the macro-circulatory system, and the reduction of pathological influence on the surrounding soft tissue areas. It has been only recently that this initial trigger for occurrence of foot diabetic wounds has been recognized, and it implies reduction of mobility of the small foot joints (the occurrence of contractures) which significantly reduces the blood flow causing persistence of pathological substances in microcirculation of peripheral parts of the feet as the first patho-physiologic act followed with gradual emission of very aggressive meta /catabolites from the circulatory system having an adverse effect on soft tissues. Up to now, the known and applied preventive and hygienic measures mainly implied protection of the feet from inflicting of wounds by wearing orthopedic shoes and similar aids, but none of these measures has been specifically directed to treating of the abovementioned first trigger of the pathological mechanism. The already mentioned qualities of Vita Beach® make it an ideal preventive-therapeutic aid product in care of diabetic foot as of the first day of suspicion and categorization of a patient in a risk group of diabetic patients. It is to be noted that the therapeutic use by a majority of diabetic patients with very sensitive foot skin would require softer and more elastic consistency of the Vita Beach ® which is offered by the manufacturer under the brand “diabetic” Vita Beach®.
CLINICAL USE Vita Beach® is recommendable, without exception, to all diabetic patients who have not gone through amputation, and particularly to potential patients and patients in the initial phase of the disease, in order to have time and (physiologic) possibilities to act on (still relatively mobile) small joints of the foot. Everyday routine of walking on the Vita Beach ®, which is particularly recommendable and important before the first morning meal, could help these patients to maintain the mobility of small joints in their feet. In this way, they would ensure a better blood stream through their macro and micro circulation and prevent, or at least postpone the occurrence of diabetic wounds. Such patients should be monitored, without any exception, especially in the first phases of such supplemental therapy by diabetologists, along with regular laboratory checks of glucose levels. The scientific clinical study of such effects is underway. Therefore, in this point, and with the view to save every foot from diabetic wounds, we shall only point out that the first results overcome even the most optimistic expectances.

explained separately, implies positive effect to somatosensoric proprio- and extero- ceptive structures of the foot, enhancing the system of postural control – body balance, resulting with better body posture. A part of the patients participating in the testing, most of them suffering of some of neurological illnesses (multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, para- hemi- paresis of various origins, children with cerebral paralysis and other), have after several weeks of using Vita Beach ® started to feel the improved stability and greater confidence in standing and walking, feeling better balance during testing (e.g. by Romberg test, static stabilometry) and have spend less time during the day sitting or lying than before using this medical aid. Some of them have started using lower doses of drugs against dizziness which has been an additional stimulant for a more active life and for rehabilitation.
MEDICAL EXPLANATION is given entirely in the second chapter explaining the effect on development and growth of children’s feet. When it comes to neurological diseases, they usually involve sickness/wounds i.e. reduced function of higher centers of postural control system, which can be compared to children’s retarded development or functional deficit which has to be reactivated and redeveloped. Given that the main regulatory mechanisms of postural control primarily act through ankle joint it is obvious that each effect involving foot receptors’ activation represents a basic therapeutic procedure for development or recovery of the lost postural control. If we add the relaxation feeling and extension of soft tissue of the foot it is easier to understand therapeutic recovery (e.g . in spastic patients).The issue which remains unexplained is the effect on feet and body of walking itself (as a separate activity) on uneven natural surfaces. The closest explanation would be that we deal with an atavism, when people were walking bare foot and had the entirely different sensation in their feet as compared to the people today. This time in the evolution of a man lasted significantly longer that the time as of invention of the shoes and our civilization. If the present moment of evolution is taken as a part of the overall development of men, then the current situation with feet, posture, shoes and walking on unnatural (hard and even) surfaces should be evolutionally considered as our ongoing adjustment to this relatively short and adverse time period. To be mentioned here is the interrelation of feet to the upright position of the men (during standing or walking) as a category of posture being one of the most developed, as compared to all other live creatures. The ever more expressed foot and spine difficulties go in favor of the thesis that our adjustment to these relatively new conditions of life and the way of life is still ongoing, which has not been the case in the previous evolutionary periods. Therefore, a comeback to those circumstances (a healthier life) has its full justification and there are many associations and initiatives in the world advocating and applying these methods, achieving satisfactory results. The use of Vita Beach® and similar innovations taken over from the nature represents one of the ways of going back to natural remedies (naturotherapy).
CLINICAL USE of this effect could be very wide theoretically (as explained previously with regard to children), but practical clinical guidelines imply recommendations for all conditions of disturbed posture and postural control such as internal wounds and postoperative conditions of knee, ankle joint and feet, neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral paralysis, muscles ystrophy, the periods after injuries and /or surgical procedures on the brain, conditions following brain insults of various intensity (provided, of course, that these patients are mobile). The assistance could be provided to all those who, for any reason whatsoever, have a weaker postural control or who need to improve it (sportsmen, ballet artists, artists in general etc).

of using of the Vita Beach® is receiving bioenergy i.e the increase of aura – bioenergetic cover of the body. This effect has been proved in bachelor thesis of M. Porent at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of Ljubljana in a scientific research involving double blind check on 150 examinees, tested by Kirlian camera. The effect of increase of the bioenergetic cover has been proved after only 10 minutes of walk on the Vita Beach®.
MEDICAL EXPLANATION of this effect is probably based on better circulation in feet and legs, influence on proprioceptors as well as on energetic points in the feet.
CLINICAL USE of this effect is universal for each individual, regardless of his or her health condition.

AS A CONCLUSION it is necessary to point out once again the PROBLEMS / DIFFICULTIES WITH FEET ARE EVER GROWING and that every attempt of preventive or therapeutic treatment is more than welcome, particularly if it is successful. It is necessary to point this out due to the continuing presence of all the adverse factors contributing to occurrence of these difficulties (sedentary way of life, with little physical activity, the increased use of machines with less physical work, walking on even and hard, unnatural surfaces/terrains, inadequate shoes, diseases such as M. S., C.P./). It is also necessary to recognize that there are very few effective universal aids in the preventive-therapeutic usage which could be applied where this is the most necessary. On the basis of these premises, one may say for Vita Beach®, without any exaggeration, that an orthopedic-medical aid has been created finally, imitating the natural surface (beach) and that it has been created in a so simple way that it can be used by anyone according to his or her needs and wishes (individually) and it is intended for use in each home, kindergarten, school, fitness center, hospital, sporting hall, rehabilitation center, work place and every other institution taking care of health of a larger number of people (universal use). It is also important to mention the quality of production, the long lasting maintenance of functionality despite of multiple usage by different persons, minimal maintenance requirements, simple installation and deinstallation, self-extinguishing production material and radiation protection.
As far as concerns negative effects and complications resulting from use of the Vita Beach® as reported by our patients, the only effect to mention are two cases of sleepiness (the first occurring after 20 and the second after 30 minutes of walking) which may be attributed to the prior tiredness and relaxation occurring after longer walk on the Vita Beach® and/or to reflexologic stimulation of brain centers causing sleepiness. This sleepiness was of a very mild form and it was reduced immediately after stopping of walking. Therefore, this sleepiness should be considered only as warning and not as a real complication in case of too long or too intensive walking.
Despite of such an extensive Evaluation, we are aware of limitations of current expert - scientific achievements and we may therefore admit that we are still not able to explain all preventive-therapeutic effects of the Vita Beach®. Those which have been described – are positive!
If we take popular /philosophic proverbs such as ‘all the people know everything’ (or, will know) and that the ‘basis of health is in the feet’, then the recommendation to use Vita Beach® - comes spontaneously. This Evaluation presents knowledge that we gained over eight years and I may therefore give my expert confirmation of the Evaluation.