Do Toning Shoes Work?

Toning shoes are the new rage everywhere. However, despite the claims, there are no credible evidence that wearing these shoes will tone your legs. Toning shoes claim to give you a perfectly toned lower body, including your legs, thighs, and butt.

These shoes have pods or curves in the bottom that are known to make the legs unstable. Due to this imbalance, people have to use their muscles to remain stable, which means that the muscles of the calves and glutes are being exercised in order to stand straight.

The makers of these shoes claim that simply walking in these shoes can give you a toned lower body along with a strengthened core.

People who have worn these shoes for a whole day have complained of aching feet. While an increase in the muscular activity of the lower body has been noticed, the pain that is felt in the legs and feet is not appreciated. If a person already has stability problems or an existing injury in his ankles, knees, etc. these shoes are not an ideal choice.

Another important consideration regarding these shoes is that women who are used to wearing high heels most of the time should avoid these shoes. This is because the Achilles tendon is stretched when these shoes are worn, and the opposite happens when heels are worn.

This means that, since the range of motion of the Achilles tendon is lower a sudden shift to toning shoes from high heels may cause this tendon to tear or rupture.

On the other hand, it has been found that those who have a normal posture and do not have any of the aforementioned problems, get good results by wearing these shoes. However, this does not mean that you do not require any other form of exercise.

These shoes may prove effective when you combine them with a good exercise routine and a healthy diet. Also, it should be noted that nothing can replace actual strength training.

You may choose to wear these shoes, however, there are certain things that you must keep in mind before using them. Firstly, get used to these shoes by wearing them for shorter periods everyday. Start with fifteen minutes, and then slowly increase the time.

Secondly, since these shoes are known to work on the muscles of your lower body, stretching is extremely important when you wear these shoes. Finally, consult your podiatrist or physical therapist before you start wearing these shoes, as he will be in a better position to check the suitability of the shoes for your body type.

So, there is still a mixed view about toning shoes, whether they work or not and whether they can do more harm than good. The final answer by experts still remain that, simply a pair of shoes cannot alter your health and lifestyle completely. You still need to follow a healthy diet, and a good exercise routine.