From Dr Scholl's to FitFlops: Which Toning Shoes Work?
Our expert weighs in on four decades' worth of shoes that claim to shape your legs (8 Photos)
Melissa F. Pheterson on Aug 2, 2010 at 3:24PM
1968: Dr. Scholl's Exercise Sandals
Perhaps the original toning shoes, the iconic Dr. Scholl's style remains popular four decades after it was introduced. Sculpted from a block of wood, the exercise sandal has a raised toe crest to promote a gripping action that claimed to help shape legs. "The toe grip is a classic foot-therapy exercise, like picking up marbles or scrunching a towel with your toes,” says Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., the chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). "But the raised toe crest will not shape legs. It will change your gait, but it’s anyone’s guess which muscles will respond to that, and how.
1970: Earth Footwear
All the rage among flower children, this line of “negative heel technology” claimed to position the body in natural, vertical alignment by making the heel lower than the toe so wearers strode from the back of the leg. "Having your heel hit the ground first could change how leg muscles are activated," agrees Bryant. Still, he's skeptical that will result in significant changes. "The user might notice a different way of moving, but she will 'habituate' to the difference--in other words, grow accustomed after the novelty fades. So the shoe won’t have as pronounced an effect over the long run."
1996: MBT
It stands for “Masai Barefoot Technology” and was sold as the Anti-Shoe, designed to mimic the walking techniques of the Masai tribe in Africa. Its promise to tone legs rests upon a distinctive "rocker bottom," creating instability--similar to running on unpaved ground--that engages the lower leg muscles, from ankles to calves. But its bulk also theoretically cushions the spine from repetitive stress upon a hard surface. "The rocker bottom does cushion the foot and improve balance, but recent studies from ACE show no difference in the muscle activity of calves, quads, hamstrings or glutes between MBT shoes and regular running shoes," says Bryant. "The amount of calories burned didn’t change, either."
2008: Skechers Shape-Ups
"Get in shape without setting foot in a gym," proclaimed the advertisements. Similar to MBT, the Shape-ups’ rounded soles claim to rock your foot forward, like a wobble board in the gym, to challenge your leg muscles and burn calories while improving posture. "It’s without question a less stable surface, and again a balance challenge," says Bryant. "But as with others, the body adapts to any change in motion or muscle effort, so these won’t burn any more calories than would normal running shoes."
2008: FitFlops
Even Oprah couldn't get enough of these fat-attacking flip-flops. The company credits an unstable "wobble" board in the sole that recruits stabilizing muscles to tone the calves, blast butt jiggle, increase circulation and enhance posture. But "after the body adjusts, the wobble seems pretty minimal," says Bryant. Plus, flip-flops can cause toe-gripping when worn excessively; save them for the pool or beach.
2009: Reebok EasyTone
This shoe uses built-in "balance pods" (plus Reebok’s DMX cushioning technology) to create an air pocket between the toe and heel that mimics the sensation of walking on sand, de-stabilizing the base of the sneaker to activate and firm up hamstrings, glutes and calves. EasyTone is among Reebok’s best-selling shoes, and the company cites studies that show increased muscle use among wearers. "It’s the same wobble board concept," says Bryant, who believes a standard running shoe would serve just as well. Still, he adds: "If people find the shoe comfortable, they’re more likely to walk further and more often than they would otherwise, which is always a good thing."
2010: Chaco’s BioCentric
These sandals tout an "aggressive arch support" to correct our tendency to over-pronate, or roll our feet inward to the point of placing stress on the muscles and tendons, radiating tension through the body from the shin to the neck. Chaco’s sculpted heel cup also claims to alter the foot’s shock absorption site to reduce impact and injury. These are fine features, but Bryant says they're not necessary for everyone. "Not all feet need aggressive arch support," he says. (Consult a podiatrist to see which arch support is best for you.) "And not all activity is high-impact enough to warrant extra shock absorption. Walking, for example, is pretty low-impact." Ultimately, if any toning shoe encourage wearers to exercise more, that extra effort will do more to tone legs than any fancy feature of the shoe.
MY THOUGHTS
whatever type of shoes you have, if you want to keep moving, you will. it's saying you can't exercise because you can't go to the gym.
Our expert weighs in on four decades' worth of shoes that claim to shape your legs (8 Photos)
Melissa F. Pheterson on Aug 2, 2010 at 3:24PM
1968: Dr. Scholl's Exercise Sandals
Perhaps the original toning shoes, the iconic Dr. Scholl's style remains popular four decades after it was introduced. Sculpted from a block of wood, the exercise sandal has a raised toe crest to promote a gripping action that claimed to help shape legs. "The toe grip is a classic foot-therapy exercise, like picking up marbles or scrunching a towel with your toes,” says Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., the chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). "But the raised toe crest will not shape legs. It will change your gait, but it’s anyone’s guess which muscles will respond to that, and how.
1970: Earth Footwear
All the rage among flower children, this line of “negative heel technology” claimed to position the body in natural, vertical alignment by making the heel lower than the toe so wearers strode from the back of the leg. "Having your heel hit the ground first could change how leg muscles are activated," agrees Bryant. Still, he's skeptical that will result in significant changes. "The user might notice a different way of moving, but she will 'habituate' to the difference--in other words, grow accustomed after the novelty fades. So the shoe won’t have as pronounced an effect over the long run."
1996: MBT
It stands for “Masai Barefoot Technology” and was sold as the Anti-Shoe, designed to mimic the walking techniques of the Masai tribe in Africa. Its promise to tone legs rests upon a distinctive "rocker bottom," creating instability--similar to running on unpaved ground--that engages the lower leg muscles, from ankles to calves. But its bulk also theoretically cushions the spine from repetitive stress upon a hard surface. "The rocker bottom does cushion the foot and improve balance, but recent studies from ACE show no difference in the muscle activity of calves, quads, hamstrings or glutes between MBT shoes and regular running shoes," says Bryant. "The amount of calories burned didn’t change, either."
2008: Skechers Shape-Ups
"Get in shape without setting foot in a gym," proclaimed the advertisements. Similar to MBT, the Shape-ups’ rounded soles claim to rock your foot forward, like a wobble board in the gym, to challenge your leg muscles and burn calories while improving posture. "It’s without question a less stable surface, and again a balance challenge," says Bryant. "But as with others, the body adapts to any change in motion or muscle effort, so these won’t burn any more calories than would normal running shoes."
2008: FitFlops
Even Oprah couldn't get enough of these fat-attacking flip-flops. The company credits an unstable "wobble" board in the sole that recruits stabilizing muscles to tone the calves, blast butt jiggle, increase circulation and enhance posture. But "after the body adjusts, the wobble seems pretty minimal," says Bryant. Plus, flip-flops can cause toe-gripping when worn excessively; save them for the pool or beach.
2009: Reebok EasyTone
This shoe uses built-in "balance pods" (plus Reebok’s DMX cushioning technology) to create an air pocket between the toe and heel that mimics the sensation of walking on sand, de-stabilizing the base of the sneaker to activate and firm up hamstrings, glutes and calves. EasyTone is among Reebok’s best-selling shoes, and the company cites studies that show increased muscle use among wearers. "It’s the same wobble board concept," says Bryant, who believes a standard running shoe would serve just as well. Still, he adds: "If people find the shoe comfortable, they’re more likely to walk further and more often than they would otherwise, which is always a good thing."
2010: Chaco’s BioCentric
These sandals tout an "aggressive arch support" to correct our tendency to over-pronate, or roll our feet inward to the point of placing stress on the muscles and tendons, radiating tension through the body from the shin to the neck. Chaco’s sculpted heel cup also claims to alter the foot’s shock absorption site to reduce impact and injury. These are fine features, but Bryant says they're not necessary for everyone. "Not all feet need aggressive arch support," he says. (Consult a podiatrist to see which arch support is best for you.) "And not all activity is high-impact enough to warrant extra shock absorption. Walking, for example, is pretty low-impact." Ultimately, if any toning shoe encourage wearers to exercise more, that extra effort will do more to tone legs than any fancy feature of the shoe.
MY THOUGHTS
whatever type of shoes you have, if you want to keep moving, you will. it's saying you can't exercise because you can't go to the gym.
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