DARCO International

Committed to the promotion and education of physicians engaged foot & ankle treatment throughout the world.

Darco International was founded in 1985 by H. Darrel Darby, DPM, to address a clinical dilemma he was facing with his post-operative patients.  As soon as his patients made the transition from their wooden sole post-op shoes to more flexible footwear he noticed a marked decrease in edema.  The difficulty was how to provide enough flexibility to jump-start the healing process while at the same time providing the support that is required post-operatively.

His efforts to solve this problem resulted in the Darco Med-Surg™ Shoe.  The Darco Shoe was the first post-op shoe to use a semi-rigid sole that provides the compression and shock absorption desired for faster healing while supporting the metatarsals with its patented, MetaShank™ construction.  The results were dramatic, both in terms of patient satisfaction and post-op performance, and the Darco Med-Surg™ Shoe became and remains the industry standard.

 In the thirty years since the founding of the company, Darco has continued to innovate.  Products such as the OrthoWedge™, Toe Alignment Splint™, Wound Care Shoe System™ and the PegAssist™ off-loading insoles continue to raise the standard of care for patients around the world.  The company’s commitment to meeting the needs of both foot surgeons and patients is as strong today as it was in 1985.

Darco remains a strong supporter of foot surgery education.  A percentage of all US domestic sales are earmarked for medical education in the form of student scholarships.  The company’s European offices sponsor international meetings that bring together top foot surgeons from the USA and Europe to share techniques while encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue.

In 2022 and beyond, Darco will continue to focus on the foot and ankle and to provide the best in surgical, trauma and wound care solutions to foot & ankle specialists worldwide.