The Painful Truth About Toning Shoes
A few years ago, a few shoe companies came out with the brilliant idea of toning shoes. The goal of these shoes was to tone your legs and buttocks through regular wear. The companies even made weight loss claims and said that wearing their toning shoes increased results from exercise. Sound too good to be true? It is. Here is the real truth about toning shoes:
First off, toning shoes do not do what they claim. Studies have been done to test the validity of the major toning shoes on the market. Researchers tested the toning shoes out side by side and in comparison with regular running shoes. In majority of the tests, the regular running shoes did just as well as the toning shoe. Some toning shoes showed a slight increase in muscle usage, but the difference was very minimal and would not produce the results the companies claimed.
Secondly, many people felt like the toning shoes made a difference because they experienced muscle soreness. Unfortunately, the muscle soreness from toning shoes is not a direct result of actual toning. Instead, the inch of cushioning causes one to walk differently, putting more strain on the muscles.
Finally, not only do the toning shoes not live up to their claims, but they can be dangerous to your health. Since toning shoes cause you to walk in an unnatural way, your muscles are strained, and your posture alters. Wearing the toning shoes for a long period of time can then lead to knee and back pain and injury. Those who are prone to falling are also at a greater risk of injury due to toning shoes being unbalanced.
Everyone is always looking for the magic recipe for weight loss. Toning shoes are not it. When it comes to toning shoes, the best thing to do is to save your money and workout with hand weights or a weighted vest instead.