Walk this Way… Reebok Easy Tone Walking Shoe

 The young girl in the commercial for these shoes wears short shorts.  She is laughing at how easy it was for her to workout.  Simple, she puts on her Reebok walking shoe and strolls through life.

Yeah right!  So of course, I had to research this claim!  A.C.E. January/February 2010 Fitness Matters journal just happened to do my work for me.  Here is what they found……

Reebok’s study showed a 28% INCREASE in activation of the glues and hamstrings, in those women who wore the Easy tone as opposed to Reebok walking shoes.  Only 5 women where studied.  Those same women walked on a treadmill for only 500 steps.

These sneakers create instability by the use of “balance pods” at the toe and heel of the shoe.  These pods will change the way the leg responds to walking.  Those women, who were diligent exercisers, didn’t feel a remarkable muscle response, even after a five-mile walk.

These shoes should only be used for walking.  They are contraindicated for all other activities, as they could increase the chance of a turned ankle or ligament strain.

A.C.E.  has promised to release the results of the study done at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.  A.C.E. has hired the university to investigate the claims of Reebok Easytones.  Stay tuned!