Shoes that work for you

Eastside Curves owner Nancy Clark said she often wears her toning shoe,

Skechers Shape-Ups, during walking workouts. She said she noticed how the
shoe feels different once she tried them.

“There’s a different balance for sure. The arch touches the ground,
which is a different feel from a regular shoe,” Clark said. While some people wear the shoes all the time, Clark said she mainly does so during exercise, not daily wear.

“I wouldn’t wear them casually around the house for example, though you
could I guess. It works your feet harder, and the company encourages you to go at it slowly,” she said.

University Bridals and Formals owner Kelly Weaver said she wears the MBT
brand of toning shoes. MBT claims to be the original concept that Skechers
and others like Reebok took to develop their own designs. Unlike Clark,
she wears them all day, which helps her feet feel more comfortable.
“When I am on my feet all day, they still feel great,” Weaver said.  She said her back feels great because the shoes force her spine to stand up straight while working at the store all day.

“It’s just a comfortable shoe,” Weaver said. “It is kind of heavy compared to a regular shoe but great for walking. You really spring forward and get some momentum going.”

Christina Gonzales wears the Skechers Shape-Up shoes after seeing them on
television and talking to friends and family who have them.

“After a day of wearing them, I was actually sore. The shoe does make you
walk straighter. It just feels a little weird at first,” she said.
She said the difference between wearing normal shoes and the Shape-Ups is
pretty obvious because she stands differently.
“My husband even noticed that, and they are great to use during my P90X
workout,” Gonzales said.

Different shoe shops in the area sell different brands of the toning shoes. Scott’s Shoes sells Mephistos, while Smith’s Shoes owner Vicki Smith said her store sells MBTs.

The shoes aren’t cheap — in the $250 range. However, Smith said the MBT
MBT shoes have the ability to be redone and reused without having to purchase a whole new shoe. As the toning shoe concept grows, more people are coming
to the store asking about them.

“Some don’t want to spend that kind of money, but we do have more  interest by people,” she said. “We’ve had people say they definitely
feel much more of a burn when wearing them.”

Podiatrist Dr. Michael Edwards urged caution with the toning shoes, saying
some may have too high an expectation for losing weight.

“You’re not going to lose 50 pounds just by wearing the shoes,” he said. “If you use it as part of an exercise routine to get in shape, I certainly don’t think it will hurt.”

He said the only thing he’s concerned about is some people with a tendency for tendon problems could see worse issues by wearing the shoes, but most people should not have any side effects aside from some soreness.

Edwards said doctors have prescribed rocker bottoms on shoes for a long
time for patients with ankle problems, so the toning shoes just expand
that into a conventional shoe. He doesn’t say the shoes are bad to buy,
but people need to not rely on the shoes as a cure-all.
“You have to be realistic. It will be interesting to see whether this is
a fad or what happens with these shoes,” Edwards said.