Are you curious about those (funny-looking, you have to admit) shoes that manufacturers say will help tone your legs and bum, plus burn calories, simply by wearing them as you go about your daily activities? Popular brands include Skechers Shape-Ups, Reebok EasyTone, and MBT, and they all have unstable soles--either rounded bottoms or extra "pods" in the heel and forefoot. The athletic-shoe versions range in price from $100 to a frightening $245 (flip-flops such as FitFlops may cost less).
Because of the unstable soles, the shoes' wearer must work a little harder to keep her balance. But does this translate into any health or fitness gains? Probably not. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) worked with exercise scientists at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, to test out the toning shoes' fitness claims. The researchers monitored a small group of volunteers while they walked on a treadmill wearing either the toning shoes or traditional athletic shoes. They found no difference in oxygen consumption, calorie burn, heart rate, or perceived exertion among all the shoes. Nor was there any change in the muscles activated while the study subjects walked (contradicting the claims that toning shoes work different muscles than those used when walking in other kinds of shoes).
The good news: Buying and wearing the shoes may motivate or remind wearers to walk a little more or otherwise add activity to their day, although that hasn't been confirmed by research yet. If you have a pair, and love--or hate!--them, share your toning shoe review.
If you don't yet have a pair of toning shoes, save your money and buy a comfortable pair of running or walking shoes instead. Then use them!
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Thanks for this information, Catherine. I don’t understand why manufacturers are allowed to make this type of claim without any proof!
According to the ACE, the manufacturers are citing proof, but it’s from studies that they commission themselves. That research may not be scientifically sound.
This of course is annacdotal, but I got a pair of MBT’s and s pair of Sketchers recently. These shoes DO have a positive effect at least for me. My hip and knee feel better than they have in years. My hips and mid section are sore from walking in them which shows me that they are indeed “working” different muscle groups. Also, walking on very hard surfaces is much easier on my hip and knee than walking in regular running shoes or sneakers. I am a fan of these shoes
I bought a pair of easy tones after researching them extensively on the internet. Then I read some articles that said the claims made by manufacturers just wasn’t true. So I sent them back. Just read another research project in Fitness magazine and it said there may be some truth to their claims so I was ready to buy another pair. But reading about this study made me realize that shoes couldn’t possibly do what they claim. So thank you. You just saved me some bucks!
Joanne
I purchased my first pair of MBT’s (dress shoes) with the curved sole to see if it would help with a painful problem with my feet. The effect was imediate and long lasting. I have had the shoes for well over a year now and my experience is nothing but positive.
Earlier this year I was headed to Disneyland and before I left I purchased a pair of Shape-Ups tennis shoes. Again, I did so because I knew that I was going to be doing a lot of walking. I was able to spend the entire day at the park pain free.