Toning fitness shoes for walking and running are rather popular. The shoes include Sketchers Shape-Ups, Rebook Easy Toner and MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology) shoes. These shoes all claim that they help to tone muscles and burn more calories with top name stars sporting the effects. The reports that these shoe companies site to prove this were done by them though and none of the claims have not been verified by peer reviewed research.
Theory Behind Rocker Bottom Shoes
Shape-Ups and MBT are forms of rocker bottom or rocker soled shoes, Easy Toner shoes work on a similar concept but do not actually have the rocker bottom. Rocker bottom shoes have be used by podiatrists for years. The usual use of them for medical reasons are for gait problems, arthritis or pain in the ankle or foot or other deformities. These shoes have an outsole that cause a rocking gait that is easier on the joints, especially of the front of the foot and toes.
The theory behind why a rocker bottom shoes would be toning shoes during exercise is that they put one off balance. In order to correct and balance the body while walking or running, more muscles are used that then expend more calories. Whether or not the change in extra muscles that are toned or calories burned are worth the extra cost of these toning shoes has not yet been proven by science.