Toning shoes are one of the newest developments in the fitness footwear market and, based upon the reaction to them thus far, they are the type of product which you either love or hate. The basic theory is that – by using a sole which is specially designed – the lower body muscles are encouraged to perform a little extra work when you walk around in them.
Different design solutions are available from different footwear manufacturers – but the generation of an element of instability and imbalance whilst walking seems to be the common theme. The muscles in the lower body work a little harder than normal as they attempt to re-establish the natural balance of the body.
Shaped soles – like Skechers Shape Ups and MBT shoes are intended to reproduce the mechanics of walking upon soft sand. The soles of Reebok Easy Tones have special air pods in them. The Easy Tones sole was designed by an ex-NASA scientist and is supposed to work like a balance ball. FitFlop shoes are somewhere in between. They are shaped, but aren’t quite as chunky as the MBT/Skechers type of sole. FitFlops use something called “microwobbleboard” technology – again, the theory is that a small element of imbalance is introduced.
One further design variant is the “negative heel” shoe. All that means is that the heel of your foot is at a lower level to the toe. The idea is to encourage a more upright posture, lengthen your calf muscle and to modify your gait.
Most of the toning shoe manufacturers have had tests performed by various independent institutions in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of their product. These seem to validate the claims made for toning shoes but, given that they were funded by the footwear manufacturers, many do not consider them to be truly independent.
A study carried out on behalf of the American Council for Exercise (ACE) was said to prove that toning shoes were ineffective. However, the validity of even these tests has been questioned, due to the age range of the participants and a very small sample size.
So, the scientific evidence is unclear and likely to remain so. However, the fact that consumers are in love with toning shoes is undeniable. Sales have grown exponentially from just $ 17 million in 2008 to $ 252 million for the first four months of 2010. Full year results are not yet available for 2010 – but sales of more than $ 1 billion are forecast.
Reebok and Skechers are the two big players in the toning shoes sector at the moment. They have both seen their market share increase significantly as a result of the growth in the toning shoes sector – chiefly at the expense of market leader Nike, who have been somewhat dismissive about the whole concept of toning shoes. The market is beginning to mature and budget priced “me too” offerings are starting to become available – something that will surely lead to lower prices in 2011.
That should spell good news for customers. Customer feedback has been very positive. Attempt to separate a woman from her FitFlops or MBT shoes and you may find yourself in a life threatening situation before you know it. That may well be what Nike, ACE and a variety of scientists are overlooking.
When it comes to women’s shoes, getting scientific and analytical is likely to prove to be an exercise in futility. The fact that high heeled shoes can be a bit of a health hazard is both well established and widely known. Apart from the fact that they can lead to falls, twists and sprains, they promote a posture which is far from good for the body. All the same, women worldwide still go nuts for their killer heels.
Toning shoes must, for many busy modern women, seem like the answer to their prayers. Better legs and a better butt with every step – the sandal with the gym built in – make your bottom half your better half. Just a selection of a few advertising slogans – and you can see why they might be appealing.
If they do what the makers claim then that’s brilliant. If not, then you’ve still got yourself a pair of cool new shoes. If you think about it, what have you got to lose? And – on a more mundane level – if toning shoes do nothing other than to encourage people to walk a little bit more than they would generally do, then that’s a very good thing in itself.
Check out the latest Skechers toning shoes. If you’re expecting wet weather you can still be cool and trendy in a pair of Hunter boots – as worn by movie stars and royalty alike!