New inventions in fitness are common, but while some of them are truly revolutions, most are slightly helpful at best. Toning shoes were introduced to the market of fitness gear during the 1970’s, but didn’t really take off until sometime in 2009. An extremely good marketing drive rocketed them to the top of the fitness footwear charts in a very short timespan.

The theory behind most toning shoes is that they make the lower body muscles work a little harder during normal walking by introducing a slight element of imbalance. There are a variety of different kinds of instabilities used to generate this fitness gear, and they may be combined within a single product, or used individually. Rocker shoes curve from front to back, and they come in both flexible and ridged varieties. Lateral instability means that the footwear curves side to side. Compressible heel technology is intended to mimic a soft surface that you can sink into, like sand for example.

Shoes with specially designed sole are intended to furnish toning benefits by increasing the amount of work done whilst walking. The technology not only uses muscles which are rarely worked - but it uses them in different ways, thereby improving both fitness and posture. However, you won’t see any results without exercise - you need to walk in these magic shoes, not just wear them.

In fact, whilst this footwear can certainly boost the efficiency of your workout, they will be almost worthless if you don’t have some program of walking or jogging in them. Studies vary on the efficacy of the technology, but no study supports the idea of good results without exercise. But if you already exercise or plan to take up exercising, these products can help you make the best of your workout time.

The studies that support the efficacy of this type of footwear were all performed by the companies that manufacture the footwear, making them somewhat suspect. There are multiple studies of this type by various companies that show improved results when users wear this type of sneaker while exercising. A study by ACE - the American Council on Exercise - was quite clear that these shoes offered no benefit.

The various kinds of technology used in making these types of footwear each have restrictions for their use. Flexible types of rocker shoes are the most versatile, and can be used in a variety of different exercises. Ridged rockers and lateral instability types should only be used for walking and jogging. The type with soft heel inserts should really be used exclusively for walking.

The use of toning shoes has become widely prevalent, but this is a recent phenomena, so we will have to wait and see what the long-term results of this craze are. If this kind of footwear is to provide any fitness benefits, it will still require exercising while wearing them, so it’s no quick and easy solution. All the same, they may be a handy tool for anyone who wants to tone up a little.