Skechers Shape Ups - Knoxville,TN

Hi Cyndi,
as an OT, I'd say they're a "gimmic."

I don't know if you remember the Dr. Scholls sandals from the 1980's that were supposed to do the same thing. They had a contoured base that was supposed to force you to use more muscles when you walked (and give you nicer legs). They worked for no-one, but Scholl's made millions.

If you like the way they *look* then buy them, but don't expect to get nicer-looking legs out of it.
t

YUP! after reading what everyone else says: almost definitely some kind of gimmic... LOL!

Hi C.,

It's not a gimmick. The original shoe was the MBT which stands for Masai Barefoot Technology. The premise is the shoe forces you to walk the way you are supposed to walk. The Masai tribe in Africa is known for having no foot, leg or back problems even though they walk many many miles barefooted.

I own two pairs of MBTs, my husband has three and my sister one. They work, not only your calves but on your thighs and your abdominal muscles while making sure your feet and legs are positioned right and your back is not stressed. I paid over $250. 00 each for my pairs and I will do it again because of the benefits I have seen. The only down side I could possibly point out is they are heavier than regular shoes. I can take about 10-12 hours and then I want my slippers....

Regards,

M.

i don't have them, and I like the *idea* of them... but I have a feeling that people who use them "feel" like they are really working, because they are working different muscles than usual while walking. So of course those muscles are going to be sore afterwards, they don't get worked like that when walking in regular shoes. Just my opinion though.

I have a friend who is a nurse who has these. She walks a lot with her job. She says these are comfortable and she has lost weight since she purchased them (she says she has not changed anything except her shoes to cause weight loss).

I have lots of friends in the nursing field and they all say that these shoes really help with their back pain, but, none so far have seen any significant weight loss. I'd say that, if you are on your feet for most of the day and don't want back pain, the Shape ups are for you!