Toning shoes are proving to be extremely popular with consumers – they are now one of the fastest growing sectors in the fitness footwear market. They promise to help you get in shape, lose weight, reduce cellulite and even to provide relief from certain types of foot pain and joint stress. Most of the major manufacturers now have a toning shoes offering in their range. Skechers Shape Ups, Fitflops sandals and – the newest addition – Reebok Easy Tones are among the best known brands.

The principle behind toning shoes is the use of a sole which encourages a particular posture, gait or form of motion, which promotes the use of muscles which don’t normally work much. Theoretically, this will lead to improved muscle tone and cause more calories to be burned whilst walking.

Toning shoes use their special soles to achieve their toning and trimming effect – but there are a variety of different sole designs all aimed at producing the same end result. Skechers and Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoes use a thick, curved rocker type sole which is specially designed to mimic the sensation of walking in soft sand whilst simultaneously improving posture. Reebok Easy Tones and Fitflops both make use of a sole which is designed to introduce micro-imbalances whilst walking. The idea is that the lower body muscles will, quite naturally, try to regain balance – thereby doing some additional work.

The majority of the manufacturers have commissioned “independent” research to monitor the effectiveness of their toning shoes. A 10% rise in the number of calories burned and as much as a 30% boost in lower body muscle activity is claimed by most of the manufacturers. A lot the ad campaigns for these shoes make much of the “effortless” nature of possible improvements. With slogans like “the sandal with the gym built in” (Fitflops) , “get in shape without setting foot in the gym” (Skechers) and “a better butt and legs with every step” (Reebok), the emphasis is firmly on toning and trimming without toiling.

It goes without saying that there are those who question the validity of the research carried out. The fact that the footwear manufacturers paid for the research is enough to make some query the results. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) had their own clinical research study carried out by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. They used 12 physically active women in the age range of nineteen to twenty four, who were subjected to a dozen five minute treadmill sessions whilst wearing traditional running shoes or toning shoes. The study results showed that toning shoes did not increase the rate at which calories were burned and that there was no significant increase in muscle usage.

The shoe manufacturers responded by pointing out that the ACE study was not representative and that the experience of twelve, relatively young and active, women would not be indicative of the benefits which toning shoes might provide for people who are not currently physically active. It’s a fair point to make. Soccer moms are the target market for toning shoes – not those who take part in high intensity exercise on a regular basis.

Most studies performed to date seem to suggest that toning shoes can deliver some benefits to many wearers. Customer feedback is also very positive. Many wearers report feelings of soreness in their legs and butt, which they assume to be indicative of toning activity. Some users report that they have improved posture and, where relevant, less joint pain.

Considering the evidence, the positive customer feedback and the rapid growth in this market sector, toning shoes look likely to become a permanent feature on the market. This is no bad thing. If they do nothing other than to encourage wearers to walk a little more often on a daily basis, then that’s a step in the right direction.

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Health and Fitness