Toning shoes, wellness shoes, fitness shoes, rocker shoes—whatever you want to call them, their use, especially among women, is on the rise. As a matter of fact, some experts predict that this segment of the footwear industry will grow into a $1 billion market in the next few years1. And while they are all the rage now, toning shoes, as we will call them for the rest of this discussion, have been around for quite some time. Even podiatrists use this style of shoe to help treat a variety of problems. Toning shoes are characterized by a curved sole, which is designed to alter normal walking gait. Manufacturers claim that the unstable nature of the shoe helps to burn more calories, tone muscles, improve posture, and reduce joint stress. Some go as far as saying that these shoes can take the place of a gym!
So do these shoes stand up to the manufactures’ claims? Researchers at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse decided to put toning shoes to the test by conducting two studies, one evaluating exercise responses to walking in traditional athletic shoes compared to some of the more popular brands of toning shoes2. The second looked at muscle activation, again while walking in traditional athletic shoes versus the toning shoes. Some of the things they measured included caloric expenditure, perception of how hard you are working (RPE), oxygen consumption, and EMG activity. Both studies found no significant differences in either exercise response or muscles activation between any of the shoes.
Manufacturers disagree with these results, faulting the studies for their small sample size (12 physically active females, ages 19-24 for the first study described above and 12 physically active females, ages 21-27 for the second). They cite their own research as proof the touted benefits exist. Experts warn, however, that research funded by manufacturers are often not peer-reviewed and often have a poor research design. Most believe that further, independent, long-term study is needed before the book is closed on toning shoes.
One search on the Internet and you will see numerous articles and blogs with varying opinions on the effectiveness of these shoes. Some people feel that, in deed, they have experienced many benefits from their toning shoes while others claim pain and injury resulted from their use.
So what do you think? Have you tried toning shoes? What has been your experience? Why do you think people feel they see results or vice versa?
1 Sitek, T. Healthy Feet. Footwear Insight. Formula 4 Media, March/April 2010.
2 Porcari J, Greany J, Tepper, S, Edmonson B, Foster C, Anders M. (2010, July 21). Will toning shoes really give you a better body. Accessed August 8, 2010, from the American Council on Exercise Web Site: http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/research.aspx.
