What it does
HerStep retrains underused foot muscles to prevent or ease bunions. It features an orthotic shoes, a foot‑awareness toolkit, and behavior‑led care rooted in feminist ethics. It starts from the feet – and walks toward awareness, agency, and empowerment.
Your inspiration
My grandmother and I both suffer from bunions—a condition affecting 1 in 3 women globally, yet rarely discussed. I found most orthotic solutions are rigid, gender‑neutral by default, and disengaged from women’s lived experience. HerStep was born to change that. Not just to correct, but to care—to reconnect with our bodies through feminist design, physical awareness, and behavioral reflection.
How it works
HerStep integrates three interlinked parts: 1. Pneumatic Orthotic Shoe — soft, breathable, with low‑pressure air pockets that lightly resist toe movement, activating toe‑spreading muscles (abductor hallucis) and arch support during everyday walking. 2. Sensory Toolkit — combines guided exercises, bunion tests, bunion‑awareness prompts, and educational cards to foster bodily self‑observation. 3. Feminist Care Framework — reframes foot care as self‑listening and embodied empowerment, not passive compliance. Users wear the shoe 10–30 min daily. The air‑resistance retrains muscle coordination naturally. The toolkit prompts reflection and habit formation, turning small steps into a sustained act of care.
Design process
HerStep began with ethnography, co-creation workshops with dozens of women, and interviews with podiatrists and clinical experts. I uncovered a critical gender data gap: although women are 9–15× more likely to develop bunions, both mainstream shoes and corrective devices are still designed around male foot data. Over 10 functional prototypes were developed. The final orthotic combines a metamaterial 3D‑printed frame, inflatable TPU pneumatic tubing, and an ESP32-powered animated training interface for guided foot muscle activation. During a two-week autobiographical trial, I successfully recorded the first detectable EMG signal from my own abductor hallucis muscle—evidence of targeted muscle engagement and reactivation. In parallel, the foot awareness toolkit was co‑designed with physiotherapists and tested with users. It revealed that pairing tangible tools with cognitive prompts best fosters habit transformation. The result is an integrated system combining early bunion screening, sensory reconnection, and feminist awakening, designed to make foot care both empowering and sustainable.
How it is different
Existing orthoses are typically rigid, clinical, and worn in isolation. HerStep is: • Soft & Wearable: Designed for aesthetic, outdoor use. • Active Training: Its pneumatic structure encourages muscle engagement, not static splint. • Feminist-influenced: Recognizes foot pain as a gendered issue, from pain to empowerment. • Habit-forming system: Combines physical device, sensory exercises, and reflective prompts to embed care into daily life. It’s not just a device—it’s a narrative shift towards embodied, women-centred foot health.
Future plans
Next, I plan to pilot HerStep in foot clinics and women’s health centres. I aim to develop: • A sizing kit for custom fit • An app for training guidance and habit tracking • Partnership with podiatrists and NGOs By refining the design for manufacturability and clinical integration, HerStep can reach early‑stage bunion care globally.
Awards
Exhibited at RCA Graduation Show 2025 Exhibited at Imperial College Summer Show 2025
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