Toning Shoes: A popular, money-making trend

 

Toning shoes are all the rage right now and sneaker manufacturers know it.  I’ve seen toning shoes that range from $89.00 to a whopping $390.00.  Chi-ching.  And with every trend comes questions from friends and clients alike:  “What do you think about…?”

Ok, here’s my take on toning shoes:

I have not read enough objective research that proves they’re worth all of the hype or that they’re safe for long-term or general wear.  I’ve seen many a trend come and go and most promised to yield amazing results with little or no effort from the consumer.  The toning shoe, it seems, is another trend.

Prevention Magazine polled several experts who rated the results as “modest” yet there are women out there who insist that the shoes have made a difference.  Do I believe them?  Yes, but I wonder just how much of a difference the shoes alone have made.  And more importantly, I wonder what their level of fitness was prior to wearing the shoes. 

I suspect that active women who exercise and train their legs regularly will not experience significant results whereas women who are less active or somewhat de-conditioned will notice more changes.

Regardless of their effectiveness, throngs of women are wearing them so I feel it necessary to provide a few tips on safety and general usage.    

 

My tips for those of you who wear them or are thinking about wearing them:

1.     Consult a physician prior to starting an exercise program.

2.     Consult a chiropractor prior to wearing toning shoes.  Wearing the shoes if there are faulty foot or joint mechanics can lead to injury or worsen existing conditions.

3.     Assuming that you have ideal flexibility and stability in your joints (especially in the ankles and knees), ease into wearing your toning shoes. 

4.     Avoid wearing them for long walks or walks on mountainous terrain.

5.     Use regular walking shoes for power walking.

6.     Speak to your chiropractor and or podiatrist if your toning shoes are extremely heavy.

7.     Pay attention to joint pain that coincide with the use of toning shoes.

8.  Use cross-trainers for intense workouts or workouts that entail explosive and cross-directional movements.

 

For more info, check out my original piece here:  http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-24934-Newark-Diet-and-Exercise-Examiner~y2010m4d10-Walking-in-Toning-Shoes-An-Update