Body posture, gait and biomechanics affect muscle recruitment, and active muscle recruitment has a positive effect on muscle tone. This knowledge inspired manufacturers to create a shoe that optimizes gluteal muscle activity. Reebok, Skechers, Masai Group International and Fit-Flops are the key players in the butt-toning walking shoe market, but many other companies, such as Target, Danskin and Dr. Scholls have similar, but less expensive products.
Market Size
The jury is still out on butt-toning shoe efficiency, but despite studies questioning their value, toning shoe sales totaled $17 million in 2008, and increased to $145 million in 2009, reports Matt Townsend, in an article on the Bloomberg website. While Skechers uses Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana to attract men to their toning shoes, a "USA Today" article cites sneaker analyst Matt Powell of Sports One Source, who asserts that women represent 90 percent of the toning shoe market.
Features
Butt-toning shoe design varies according to the manufacturer, but most shoes have a curved sole or a rocker design, which is similar to a wobble board. The unstable structure supposedly forces the wearer to actively recruit her stabilizing muscles, such as the hamstrings and quadriceps.
Proponents
The unstable construction of toning shoes may reduce knee pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis, says lead author BM Nigg, in a 2006 study published in the "Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise." The University of Calgary research team placed subjects on a 12-week walking program. The subjects wearing Masai Barefoot Technology walking shoes improved balance and reduced knee pain.
Counterpoint
The American Council on Exercise, a fitness certification and research organization sponsored a study that contradicts claims made by butt-toning shoe manufacturers. The research team recruited 12 volunteers, who performed 12, five-minute exercise studies wearing different types of shoes. The researchers monitored the participant's heart rate, caloric expenditure and muscle activity. Neither the Masai Bafefoot Technology shoes, the Skechers Shape-ups or the Reebok Easy Tone showed any evidence of enhanced aerobic conditioning or leg muscle recruitment.
Considerations
The manufacturers of the Reebok, Sketchers and Fit Flop toning shoes all have research studies supporting their benefits, but Dr.John Porcari, who conducted the American Council on Exercise study, warns that none of these studies were peer reviewed. In fact, the Masai Barefoot Technology study was the only research published in a respectable journal. On the other hand, the butt-toning shoes may have a positive psychology benefit. If the belief that the shoes will increase caloric expenditure and tone the leg and gluteal muscles inspires people to be more active, that may be a positive step in the right direction.
References
- Bloomberg:Nike Mocks Butt-Toning Shoes as Reebok, Skechers Steal Sales
- USA Today: A revolutionary sneaker, or overhyped gimmick?
- Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise:Unstable shoe construction and reduction of pain in osteoarthritis patients. Nigg BM, Emery C, Hiemstra LA.
- American Council on Exercise: Will Toning Shoes Really Give you a Better Body?
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