An Epidemic of Injuries
"I bought the Shape-up shoes last February to work in. I had worn them for an hour or so. I went home and was going up our steps to our front porch. When I got to the top step, the shoes rocked me back causing me to fall. I dislocated my shoulder and fractured my rotator cuff. I ended up missing work for 3 ½ months and I’m in constant pain."
Lora B., Lancaster, KY.
"Wearing the toning shoes for a couple of years caused my meniscus to tear. I was in extreme pain for several weeks. I had to undergo cortisone shots, numerous doctor visits and 4 weeks of expensive physical therapy."
Sandra F., Bryan, TX.
"The first time I wore my Skechers, I twisted my ankle and broke my elbow. I ended up having a surgery with 3 screws in my elbow and 3 months of therapy. If you ever watched the video of the “15 minute work out” you get with the shoes, the woman doing the work out said at one point, 'Oops, I almost fell!'"
Keri K., Appleton, WI.
"I was an active 61 year old female on my way to the gym when I fell wearing my new Skechers Shape-up sneakers walking down a step on October 28, 2010. A lot of damage was done to my right leg and foot due to the fall and the way my leg twisted. I broke my tibia, fibula and the break spiraled down into my ankle. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance and had four hours of surgery. I needed a metal rod, plate and screws. I am having a slow and difficult time trying to walk and recover since then."
Linda C., Syosset, NY.
"I wore Skechers Shape-ups for one to two years. I was fine until I started having hip and leg pain that was so bad I could hardly get out of my van. I went to the doctor and the first thing she said was to stop wearing my shoes."
Laura P., South Milwaukee, WI.
"I purchased the Skechers Shape-ups for daily walking in hopes of toning up. I have since suffered from severe knee pain that prevents me from even getting a good night’s sleep, it hurts so bad. I went to my doctor and she told me to stop wearing the toning shoes."
Carolyn A., Houston, TX.
"I wore the slip resistant Skechers Shape-ups for 9 months for 50 hours per week. So did a few of my employees. We all ordered them together. Most of us have since suffered injuries from the shape up shoes we wore to work. I have sprained my ankles four or more times, suffered a bone fracture and my rheumatoid arthritis is worse."
Amanda M., Atalla, AL.
"I purchased my Skechers Shape-ups in the spring of 2010. After watching the CD that came with the shoes, I began a program of walking in them vigorously for 30 minutes each day. After about 6-8 weeks, I developed severe pain in my lower back and down my right leg to just above the ankle. Three months after spinal surgery, I still have residual pain."
Dennis V., Los Alamitos, CA.
"I’ve been using the same workout system since 2000 and have never had a problem. I purchased the Skechers Shape-up shoes and after about 1-2 months of use, I began having extreme hip pain. Sometimes I could not even stand without assistance. My doctor took several x-rays and found my hips were 3 degrees out of line with each other and my spine was shoved inward and tilted to the side 5 degrees."
Tammy F.
"For 2 years I have maintained the same regular workout regimen. I purchased the Reebok SimpleTone athletic shoes and after two weeks of wearing them to workout, I sustained damage to my SI (pelvic) joint. It has now been three months and the pain is still tremendous."
Allison N., Hanford, CA.
About Toning Shoe Injuries
Toning shoes supposedly help wearers get more exercise and slim down -- but those claims are unfounded. In fact, they pose a very real risk of stress fractures, broken bones and serious fall injuries.
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rssToning Shoe Injuries
The built-in instability of toning shoes can increase the risk of stress fractures, falling and fall injuries.
Toning Shoe Brands
Several manufacturers have entered the toning shoes market. Learn more about their products.
Toning Shoes -- An Exercise Benefit or a Health Hazard?
Toning shoes – also called wellness shoes and rocker
bottom shoes – are athletic shoes with an unstable sole. The
shoes may have a rounded sole that increases the heel-to-toe
motion of the foot.
Toning shoe manufacturers promote their products with
alluring claims of muscle benefits and the shoes' ability to
slim calves and legs. Toning shoe companies state
their products increase muscle activation, improve balance
and stimulate the metabolism.
Understandably, the market for shoes with those alleged benefits has grown steadily. Spurred by the testimonials of famous athletes and celebrities, various brands are now offered to health-conscious consumers, including MBTs, Skechers Shape-ups, Reebok Easy Tones, Keds Sport, New Balance and Crocs.
However, a study conducted by exercise scientists has found no evidence that toning shoes provide any significant benefit over traditional athletic shoes. In fact, knowledgeable medical experts advise that toning shoes actually pose major risks. Indeed, it is well recognized in the orthopedic community that anything that impacts your gait may cause harm to your bones, muscles and joints. Regrettably, the toning shoe manufacturers ignored this literature and failed to conduct adequate safety studies to demonstrate that wearing these shoes is safe.
Toning shoes' built-in instability can increase the risk of stress fractures, falling and fall injuries. The shoes are especially risky for elderly people, diabetics and those with poor balance, vertigo, lack of feeling in their feet or chronically weak ankles. Many injuries have occurred to nurses, health care providers, waiters and others in the service industries as the toning shoe manufacturers have specifically targeted these groups in their marketing campaigns.
One toning shoe user in Ohio has expert medical proof that her use of those shoes led to fractures in both of her hips. She has filed a claim against the toning shoe manufacturer to recover damages for her injuries.
Contact Our Toning Shoes Injury Lawyers Today
If you have reason believe you have been injured by your use of toning shoes, you may have legal rights to claim compensation. The MEDLAW legal team of Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC, is a nationally recognized law firm committed to assisting victims of negligently manufactured products.
Our team includes accomplished personal injury lawyers, a board-certified physician and registered nurses to help maximize our ability to recover substantial damages for those who are seriously injured by a negligently manufactured product or device.
The MEDLAW Legal Team of Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC, is a national firm with offices in Baltimore, MD, Asheville, NC, and Columbia, SC. The law firm has satellite offices in New York City. Time is of the essence to protect your legal rights. Call (888) 4-MED-LAW or contact us online immediately.