Purchase of Reebok’s Easy Tone Shoes to be Refunded

If you have watched the news in the last couple of weeks, you’ve probably heard about the big fiasco between Reebok and the The Federal Trade Commission.  It all centers around the Easy Tone collection of Reebok shoes and the claim that these shoes will strengthen people’s legs and backside.  The American Council of Exercise did a study at the University of Wisconsin at La Cross, and they found that there really isn’t any benefit to wearing one of the three brands of toning shoes over a pair of regular running shoes.  

One major problem with these toning shoes, though, is that there have actually been injuries that have occurred.  These injuries include ankle sprains and ankle fractures.  These shoes are especially dangerous for people who already have a hard time with balance.  The problem is that the way the shoes are designed, your normal walk is thrown way off.  The toning technology in Skechers Shape-Ups is that of a rocking motion.  With the bulk of the contact of your shoe in the middle of your foot, you have to relearn how to walk and it is very easy to trip, thus resulting in a fall.  In contrast, Reebok Easy Tone shoes are built on a ball on both the front of the foot and the heel of the foot.  This makes your steps very unstable and thus the foot can slip side to side, which can result in ankle sprains and/or ankle fractures.  The danger significantly  increases with the elderly wearing these toning shoes, as their bones are more easily damaged, and a fall could result in broken bones.  

So the question arises, are toning shoes really worth it?  There isn’t any benefit to wearing toning shores rather than normal running shoes.  In fact, toning shoes have a higher risk of injury.  It doesn’t seem like they are worth the cost.  If you have additional comments that you would like me to consider when posting about the Toning Shoes – please post them and I will gladly respond.  

For more information regarding shoes and what we recommend, please visit our website at www.houstonfootspecialists.com