Welcome

Gus is a native Texan from El Paso. He  started his career in high school working with his father, Ray Villarreal, at Footfit Shoe Store from 1966-1994. He and his father helped hundreds of thousands of children with special needs suppling them with shoes, orthopedic equipment and artificial limbs. They received Senate recognition for their humanitarian charitable contributions (S.R. 1136). During that same time, Gus learned to make custom leather boots trained by Tony Lama. 

Gus completed his Board Certified Pedorthist training at Ball State University and worked as an orthopedic technician at Texas Tech Medical School. Gus' extensive knowledge comes under the direction of many well known and well respected physicians including Dr. Merton Root, the father of biomechanics in podiatry. 

He learned about prosthetics and custom back braces under the mentorship of Dr. Eduardo Luque of Mexico City, inventor of the Luque L-rod for the treatment of scoliosis. 

Continuing his clinical training, Gus mentored  under  the prestigious Dr. Roger Mann,  the father of the foot and ankle society and the first surgeon to offer a fellowship on the foot and ankle 1979. He is widely respected in his field and received  recognition for  writing 120 scientific journal articles and co-writing the well known orthopedic textbook on foot and ankle surgery, entitled, "Mann's Surgery of the Foot and Ankle." 

Gus furthered his education under the mentorship of Dr. Donald Baxter, a professor at Baylor Medical who is known for many scientific articles and for discovering the Baxter 's nerve. Gus is an expert in his field.  He takes with him all he has learned, skillfully crafting every orthotic to meet  the need of the foot. 

Gus has continued to work directly with many orthopedic physicians and podiatrists in El Paso, San Antonio, Houston and Austin. Gus opened Foot Pain Relief Store in 2003 and sold it in 2013 after the passing of his late wife Trisha. He holds many certifications including sports medicine, diabetic foot, stance alignment, as well as the application, fabrication, and implications on foot orthosis. 

Gus' clientele include adults and children with foot injuries, pain and deformities and also athletes with sports injuries and enhancements to improve performance. He has over 50 years of experience helping people live a better quality of life with supportive orthotics made with love. He is excited to continue his practice serving you at Central Texas Footworks.