Toning shoes may leave you wobbly—or worse

Our recent analysis of complaints to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s new product-complaint database suggest that toning shoes, such as Skechers Shape-ups, might be causing injuries.

As of late May 2011, 36 people reported injuries associated with toning shoes. That’s more complaints than for any other single type of product in the database, which was started in March 2011. Most of the reported injuries were minor, including tendonitis and foot, leg, and hip pain. But 15 complaints reported broken bones, some of which required surgery.

Our medical experts say that those types of shoes have rocker-style bottoms that are designed to cause instability, forcing users to engage muscles that are not normally used while walking. But that instability might also lead to turned ankles, falls, and other injuries if the user is not careful.

The rocker design is not unique to Skechers, which was cited in most of the reports. Other brands with similar designs include Avia, Champion, Danskin Now, and New Balance, and shoes sold at Sears and Kmart. Reebok has a toning shoe that’s designed differently, but it also causes instability. The above-mentioned brands were also named in injury reports filed with the CPSC.

Steve Lamar, executive vice president of the American Apparel and Footwear Association, a trade group to which Skechers belongs, told us that the injuries often stem from misuse of the shoes. He said the shoes are exercise products and that there’s risk with any exercise. But our medical experts say don’t bother: There’s little evidence that rocker-style shoes are more likely than other athletic shoes to promote physical fitness.