Shoe Background: According to the MBT website, MBT stands for Masai Barefoot Technology. MBTs were the first toning shoes on the market. The company was begun in 1996 when its founders "discovered that natural instability can have positive effects on the human body." The company developed "a new kind of footwear, one that would mimic walking on soft, uneven ground." Instability is a key component of the shoe's design. "When walking in MBTs, the ground no longer feels flat and stable, so the body has to compensate and create stability," the company's website states.
Design: The patented MBT footwear is the sole construction with the "Masai Sensor," located directly beneath the heel which "creates a natural instability that can help the body generate muscle activity in the lower limbs." The shoe has a curved sole and an integrated balancing area which "requires an active and controlled rolling movement that can help the body to improve balance and posture while standing and walking," the MBT site states.
Models: MBT toning shoes are sold in men’s and women's models as sandals, boots, exercise shoes and walkers. Prices range from $235 to $355. Model names include Baridi, Fora GTX W, Fora W, Goti, Habari, Kipimo, Kisumu2 W, Maliza, Moja, Salama, Sirima W, Sport2 W, Kimondo GTX, Kimondo M, Kisumu2 M, Shuguli GTX M, Sini, Sport2 M, and Tembea.
Uses promoted by manufacturer: The company website has exercises to improve gait and instructions for walking, slow running, knee bends and step-ups, among others.
Risks of toning shoes. The built-in instability of toning shoes can increase the risk of stress fractures, falling and fall injuries. Sports medicine experts say toning shoes may pose a particular risk for elderly people and those with poor balance, vertigo, lack of feeling in their feet or chronically weak ankles. Wearers who walk with feet or toes at a slight angle could potentially be more prone to tripping or falling. Injuries from the use of toning shoes include broken bones, broken or sprained ankles, broken hips from falls and pain or tightness in the heel, calf or Achilles’ tendon. Often times, toning shoe wearers go for weeks or months with muscle or bone pain unaware that the source of their problems is the toning shoe. Even some physicians may unknowingly miss these early signs of toning shoe induced injuries making the problem that much worse.
These injuries were avoidable. The shoe companies never tested their products adequately to determine whether wearing toning shoes were safe. The scientific literature has demonstrated for years about the risk of toning shoes and the long-term impact of problems that occur when a walker has an unstable gait. Yet, supported by high-profile celebrities and the alluring promise of an effortless work-out, the manufacturers have promoted their shoes as safe and reliable. Had the companies taken the time to read and understand the scientific literature, injuries caused by toning shoes would never have occurred.
Contact Our Toning Shoes Injury Lawyers Today
If you have been injured while wearing 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 M.D. 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 Atlanta, GA, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA, and Minneapolis, Minn. Time is of the essence to protect your legal rights. Call 1-888-4-MED-LAW or contact us online immediately.