Toning shoes from various companies including MBT, Sketchers, Reebok, Ryn and other manufacturers continue to grow in popularity. We know people who wear these types of shoes almost exclusively. These are the shoes with oddly-shaped soles that make walking on them just a little bit unstable so you have to work at balancing and moving. These shoes typically have a rocker sole or other topographic textures on the bottom of the foot to make your stride a little tougher. Many favorable studies have been released. The manufacturers themselves commissioned many of those studies and those manufacturers haven’t always released all the details of how studies were conducted. An article in The Vancouver Sun cites one independent study conducted by The American Council on Exercise that finds no significant difference in various muscle groups (which fitness shoe manufacturers claim to tone), compared to wearing typical running shoes or other athletic shoes.
The shoes are found to make the wearer work harder, but any extra effort balances out with normal wear. Claims made about many of these fitness and toning shoes are way too far-reaching. It’s possible they work on certain muscle groups, but claims often list several muscle groups, and tout increased calorie burn. Calorie burn is easy to dispute. If you walk more then you’ll burn more calories. But simply wearing the shoes to walk the same distance you normally walk won’t burn more calories.
If these shoes are comfortable for you, and you’ll actually walk more or take part in more exercise then go for it. However as with any fitness equipment making large claims on health benefits, be wary and sensible about how much you believe.
American Council on Exercise
ACE study on Toning, “Fitness Shoes”