The latest hot product from the athletic shoe industry is the toning shoe-- a fancy sneaker with big thick curved soles that's supposed to make your leg muscles work harder during everyday activities. The shoe companies say the toning shoes can sculpt your legs and tighten up your butt as you walk.
Toning shoes from Sketchers and Reebok sell from $100 a pair. Do they work? Two new studies say no. The American Council on Exercise says, "there is simply no evidence to support the claims that these shoes will help wearers exercise more intensely, burn more calories or improve muscle toning." Their studies found "no significant difference between the toning shoes and regular running shoes". Sketcher disagrees. They say they have more than a dozen studies that shows otherwise. I know a couple of people who have tried the shoes. They said they saw results from wearing them. Maybe it was because they walked more with them?
2 comments:
Interesting, yet still confusing as to whether they really work. Perhaps we have to see for ourselves if they work. Have you tried them?
I have not tried the shoes. from what I can tell, they are heavier than regular tennis shoes. They also require more balance when walking. So they probably do affect the muscles a little differently. I think they motivate people to walk more than just wearing regular tennis shoes. And that is a good thing. You just have to try them to know for sure.
Pat
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