The fastest-growing segment of the athletic footwear industry does more than protect your feet from hot pavement and gravel; it reportedly tones your butt, legs and abs without the need for a gym. The makers of toning shoes such as Reebok’s EasyTones, FitFlops and Skecher Shape-ups claim the shoes’ design, often a rounded sole or the use of “micro wobble-board,” helps strengthen muscle just while walking.
Skechers
With 60 percent of the toning shoe market, according to an article in the "Patriot Ledger" in New Jersey, Skechers shape-ups are designed to simulate walking on sand. The heel sinks to the ground at the beginning of a step and rolls forward as your weight shifts. Get used to the shoes by wearing them 25 to 45 minutes a day to begin with, says Jennifer Weiderman, vice president of Skechers’ Fitness Group.
FitFlop
The FitFlop looks like a regular sandal, but it uses “micro-wobbleboard” technology, a version of a balancing device found at many gyms. It requires you to work a little bit harder to keep your balance. The FitFlops offer good support for the feet and include a midsole that cushions the foot, according to an article from "Medill Reports Chicago."
Reebok
Reebok holds about 33 percent of the toning shoe market with its EasyTone shoes. The shoes were designed by a former NASA engineer who used principles of balancing balls used in workout programs, according to the "Patriot Ledger." It features rounded air cushions under the heel and ball of the foot.
MBT
Short for Masai Barefoot Technology, MBT introduced “the anti-shoe” in 1997, making it one of the first toning shoes. As with FitFops, the shoe is meant to replicate walking in sand. It has a curved sole that works more muscle groups. MBT shoes cost approximately $250, according to the "Patriot Ledger"; however, the shoe reportedly lasts three to four times as long as typical walking shoes.
Do Toning Shoes Work?
Conclusions are mixed when it comes to determining whether toning shoes can actually help users shape up or lose weight. Dr. Barbara de Lateur told "USA Today" that the idea a shoe could help a person's fitness level is "utter nonsense."
Other health experts worry that the shoes could actually injure the user, especially older people or those with balance problems. And no definitive studies have been done. However, users such as Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, who is a spokesman for Sketchers Shape-Ups, says the shoes have worked for him.
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