Shoes -- or more specifically, poorly fitting shoes -- are a leading cause of foot pain. But walking around without them isn't always an option. One alternative is wearing exercise shoes that have a similar effect on your feet as walking in sand. These shoes, which feature Masai Barefoot Technology, helps massage and strengthen your feet and can also provide several other benefits.
Walking on hard, flat surfaces too often causes muscles in the feet and lower leg to atrophy because of weakness. Created in 1996, Masai Barefoot Technology is based on the concept of "natural instability." When you walk on a soft, unstable surface such as sand, the muscles in your feet and lower limbs have to work harder. Masai Barefoot Technology footwear also provides this effect. These exercise shoes have a curved sole -- or a "rocker bottom"-- and contain a Masai sensor, which is situated beneath the heel that increases the instability when you wear them.
Benefits
Besides strengthening muscles in your feet and lower limbs, MBT footwear forces you to stand upright and improves your gait, thereby helping to improve your posture and balance. When your posture improves you're less likely to suffer from low back pain, an ailment that affects about eight out of 10 Americans at some point in their lives. Research also shows that Masai Barefoot Technology may be beneficial for people with hip or knee problems such as arthritis.
Evidence
A Finnish study published in the journal "theHealth" in 2011 found that Masai Barefoot Technology had several positive effects. It strengthened muscles in the lower legs, improved posture during standing and walking, and could be used to reduce pain in people with moderate osteoarthritis. Also, 6-week training in MBT shoes reduced pressure in the balls of the feet, which might be beneficial for people with diabetes.
Drawbacks
Despite its benefits, Masai Barefoot Technology has a few side effects. For instance, despite the possible benefits for osteoarthritis, the Finnish researchers noticed that the footwear increased muscle activity across the knee, which isn't desirable if you suffer from knee problems. Also, while you can wear the shoes during activities that involve standing, slow running or climbing, such as stair-climbing or low-impact step aerobics, they aren't recommended for activities such as fast running or other high-impact sports.
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