Our Story

When founder Don Mastrangelo was diagnosed with leg length discrepancy, the solution he was given was simple — a cork wedge jammed inside his shoe. It was uncomfortable, it shifted every time he moved, and it made every pair of shoes feel like a compromise.

Whether he was walking to work or out for a run, the wedge would slide out of place, leaving him more frustrated than before. The more he searched for a better option, the more he realized one didn't exist. The footwear industry had overlooked millions of people living with LLD — and the solutions that did exist were stuck in the past.

Don set out to engineer what the industry wouldn't — a heel lift system that was comfortable, secure, and invisible. The result was a patented foam wedge design that sits beneath the insole, locked in place so it never shifts, never slides, and never compromises your stride.

Unlike traditional cork inserts that sit loosely inside a shoe, the Jacked Up system integrates directly into the footwear. It was a fundamentally different approach to leg length discrepancy — one designed around how people actually move.

After developing the insole system, Don spent some time in Hawaii — and quickly ran into a new problem. Island life meant sandals and slides every day, and there wasn't a single option on the market for someone with LLD who wanted open footwear.

So he built that, too. Jacked Up expanded from insoles into heel lift sandals and slides, each with the same patented lift system built directly into the sole. No visible difference, no clunky add-ons — just balanced, natural footwear designed for people who refuse to let a diagnosis slow them down.

Today, Jacked Up Footwear is designed in Southern California and trusted by customers around the world. Every product exists because Don asked a simple question: why should anyone have to choose between function and style?