MBT Walking ShoesAre They Right For You?Are MBT walking shoes a miracle shoe? Can they really boost your metabolism, tone muscles and reduce back, knee and foot pain? In this article, I'll answer these questions based on my evaluation of the current research as well as hundreds of customer reviews. Perhaps you've seen the commercials or magazine ads for these types of shoes. They show a woman with a fabulously toned butt and legs, implying that she got them simply by wearing these shoes. Is it really that easy? I was intrigued, but being the cynic I am, I had to get more information first. These incredible traits of the Massai were discovered by Swiss Engineer, Karul Muller, who found relief from his back pain when he walked barefoot over rice paddy fields while living in South Korea. While trying to understand this phenomenon, Muller came across the secrets of the Massai tribe. After returning to Switzerland, Muller developed the footwear technology to mimic the instability of soft, uneven surfaces. In 1996, the MBT Walking Shoe was born.
How Do MBT Walking Shoes Work?They are based on the concept of "natural instability", such as when you walk on sand or an uneven surface. This forces your body to constantly adjust its balance, which engages and exercises your body's support system. In other words, your body has to work harder to maintain its balance in these types of shoes than in conventional shoes, resulting in a greater calorie burn and muscle workout.Additionally, this activation of our body's support muscles helps alleviate joint and muscle pain. Apparently, the heel-toe strike that we use when walking in conventional shoes is unnatural, which leads to negative effects on our joints and gate. This video goes into detail about how to properly wear these shoes. It's definitely worth watching.
DO MBT Walking Shoes Really Work?Okay, so everything so far sounds reasonable, but I did mention that I was a cynic so I had to review the research. The MBT website lists several studies it has conducted on the benefits of this footwear technology. These benefits include
These results are certainly exciting and intriguing, yet many of these results are based on studies that had few participants in them, making it difficult to generalize these results to the rest of us. In addition, many of these studies state that more research is needed to substantiate the benefits. All of the other footwear companies have conducted studies on the benefits of their particular brands. For example, Skechers conducted four clinical studies on their Shape Ups and found that people experience:
Reebok and New Balance report similar findings. I think it is important to mention that these studies were either conducted directly by the footwear companies themselves or at least commissioned by them. Recently in 2010, the American Council on Exercise (ACE), teamed up wtih the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, to perform an independent study on the MBT's, Skechers Shape-Ups and the Reebok Easy-Tones. They asked 12 females to wear these shoes as well as a regular athletic shoe and complete fitness trials on a treadmill. They measured their muscle activation while wearing each type of shoe. The results? "All three toning shoes tested showed no statistically significant increases in either exercise response or muscle activation during the treadmill trials, when compared to the normal athletic shoes tested." In other words, the workout shoes were no better and firming and toning that plain old athletic shoes. To read more about this study, visit the
Ace Fitness Site.
While I was a little underwhelmed by the studies, I was very impressed with the hundreds of positive reviews these types of shoes received by those who have worn them. Have a look at a store like www.zappos.com and you can read about how much people like this footwear. For example, people write in that these shoes:
In addition, many reported that they felt they received more of a workout when wearing the shoes versus their regular pair. It was also reported that they are great for those who have to stand on their feet for long periods of time. The downside to these shoes are the price, a pair will set you back a $100 or more. And they somewhat resemble your grandmother's shoe (sorry grandma!). Although the manufacturers are making a good effort to make them more stylish. Bottom Line: Think of the MBTs as a piece of exercise equipment - a tool that can help enhance some of your workouts. You could use them while running errands or incorporate them into your fitness walking routine and use them as much or as little as you want provided they are comfortable and enjoyable to exercise in. In my research I came across some people who complained that their MBT walking shoes caused them pain. It's possible these people did not follow the instructions for how to wear these shoes - you must only wear them for short periods of time at first and work up to wearing them for an entire day. But just like any pair of shoes, they aren't for everyone. If you are overweight or suffer from stability problems, I would check with your doctor first before wearing them. I don't believe MBT Walking Shoes are a wonder shoe, but if you have the extra money, go ahead and give them a try. And if not, don't despair - just keep walking briskly most days of the week and you're sure to get fit and look great.
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