Gravity Defyer hit with suit by FTC over footwear pain relief claims

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Gravity Defyer pain relief FTC lawsuit overview: 

• Who: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against Gravity Defyer Corp. and its owner, Alexander Elnekaveh. 
• Why: The FTC claims the company and Elnekaveh misled the public by claiming their footwear is clinically proven to relieve pain without providing any evidence. 
• Where: The lawsuit was filed in District of Columbia federal court. 

Gravity Defyer Corp. promotes its shoe line as being clinically proven for pain relief without providing any evidence, according to a new lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). 

The FTC claims the company, along with its owner, Alexander Elnekaveh, is in violation of a 2001 order barring Elnekaveh from misleading consumers with scientifically unsubstantiated advertising.

Elnekaveh has violated its order by using what it claims are misleading testimonials from Gravity Defyer customers promoting its shoes as a way to help relieve pain and discomfort, the FTC claims. 

“Defendants have represented that Gravity Defyer footwear will relieve pain, including knee, back, ankle and foot pain, and pain in people suffering from conditions such as plantar fasciitis, arthritis, joint pain and heel spurs,” the FTC says. 

Gravity Defyer pain relief clams not backed by science, lawsuit claims

The customer testimonials the company uses are not backed by “competent and reliable scientific evidence that substantiates the representation,” the FTC claims.

The FTC argues Elnekaveh and Gravity Defyer have engaged in misleading advertising since at least 2016 by claiming their shoes contain soles that relieve pain. 

The shoes cost between $100 and $235 per pair, bringing in around $11.2 million in revenue for the company during the first three quarters of 2019, according to the FTC. 

The FTC says the allegedly misleading advertisements, meanwhile, were targeted at its customer base of consumers “aged 55 and older” and placed on the radio, in magazines and on Facebook. 

The FTC, which unanimously voted to file the lawsuit, seeks permanent injunctive relief along with monetary civil penalties. 

In a separate case involving a shoe company, New Balance came under fire in 2016 for allegedly falsely labeling and representing that its footwear was made in the USA. 

Have you purchased Gravity Defyer shoes on account of their purported ability to relieve pain? Let us know in the comments. 

The FTC is represented by Maria Del Monaco, Dana C. Barragate, Mathew M. Scheff and Adrienne M. Jenkins.

The Gravity Defyer pain relief FTC lawsuit is Federal Trade Commission v. Gravity Defyer Medical Technology Corp., et al., Case No. 1:22-cv-01464, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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