Do toning shoes actually work?

Do toning shoes really work? The answer, as with many things in life, is not that simple. Toning shoes offer far more than toning alone, providing a wide range of benefits to the body. The rocker sole toning shoes offer an incredibly comfortable design, which cushions the heel strike and absorbs the shockwaves from walking. The movement in the foot is increased, simulating barefoot walking in soft sand, helping to improve flexibility and stimulate blood circulation. The shoes put you back on your heels and make you stand up straight, easing the strain on muscles in the back and shoulders, helping to reduce the associated pain. They cushion the joints which has had many painful conditions hail them as miraculous.

They have been a huge success for their medicinal benefits; however one of the major attractions is their ability to tone the body faster than standard walking, by various technologies which increase muscle activation or usage.  The research conducted by the manufacturers backed up the claims of muscle activation, and therefore toning.  There is a weight of consumer evidence to back up the claims that the shoes do work, and the effects can really be felt in the legs and bottom. However the extent to which toning occurs has recently been called into question with the publication of a study completed at the University of Wisconsin.

The American Council on Exercise commissioned the study, which put two groups of 12 women on a treadmill to test Reebok Easytone trainers, Skechers Shape ups and MBT shoes for their toning, weight loss, and exercise value. The results from a test conducted for 5 minutes at different speeds found no significant difference between toning shoes and running shoes. The changes to heart rate and oxygen consumption were unchanged, indicating that the shoes to not increase aerobic activity or boost the metabolism, and therefore offer no fat burning benefits.

The data collected is in stark comparison with the Skechers case study, conducted on 80 wearers over 8 months. Their research demonstrated a noticeable difference in weight loss, toning and many health factors only wit wearers of Skechers Shape ups, with the control group showing no increases during the test. Another study was conducted over 6 weeks and clearly backed up Skechers claims. The short test time of the ACE report, only taking 5 x 15 minutes of exercise in the shoes per test subject is indicative that the toning shoes effects take much longer, according to Skechers,  6 weeks is a suitable time frame to really expect to see, and feel the difference.  

In spite of the study, Reebok are poised to launch their Easytone clothing range to compliment the effects of their shoes, creating a whole body workout through their Reetone initiative. Skechers Shape Ups and MBT shoes offer a far broader package of benefits than toning alone, and have a substantial body of evidence behind not only their own branded toning shoes, but of the rocker sole design itself which was introduced by MBT in 1996. 

The shoes have been on the market for 14 years which offers the opportunity to look into the long term effects of the shoes, with some research studies running over a span of years rather than minutes. The results of long term research has been positive, with findings published in scientific journals.  Whilst the case for toning shoes that actually tone the body may still be strong, how the public will now perceive toning shoes remains to be seen.