It has been a big few weeks for runners and fitness enthusiasts in the Columbus area. While National Running Day was a day of celebrations for many, the recent settlement in the lawsuit against Sketcher’s Shapeup Shoes have left those looking for an extra boost in their run less enthused. Back in February 2011, our blog “The Truth about Toning Shoes” discussed this style of shoe, but they have remained a source of both intrigue and confusion. Keeping your feet healthy and choosing shoes that help you to do so is the best way to ensure that you will be enjoying national running day for years to come.
Sketcher’s is not the first so called “fitness” shoe claiming to tone your legs and thighs almost magically just by wearing them. Reebok was also forced to dole out a refund to customers who had purchased their “EasyTone” sneakers that, similar to the Sketcher’s shape up, had made claims about the shoes’ health benefits that had not been evaluated or proven true in any clinical tests. While the claims that these shoes firm your legs and bottom may not have been true, these shoes may actually increase the risk of foot and ankle injury for some people. Most toning shoes create instability that the wearer’s foot and leg muscles must counteract in order to remain balanced and upright. For some people, this can be outright dangerous. For example, an individual with peripheral neuropathy from diabetes may be unable to compensate for the imbalance and find themselves more likely to sprain their ankle or even fracture a foot bone. Even a healthy individual with no nerve problems who chooses this style of shoe to run in may be more likely to stumble, or strain a muscle while running from the unnatural motion the shoe creates.
When it comes to running shoes other than “Shape up” or “Toning” shoes, every runner needs to ensure that the shoe they select fits comfortably to their own foot. Improperly fitting running shoes can result in blisters, calluses, tendonitis and even stress fractures if they cause the wearer’s bone to experience excessive pressure over time. Even the best fitting shoe may not be sufficient for some runners to prevent injury. Custom orthotics can be used to help a foot function better and prevent injury inside of a properly fitting running shoe. Even if you are not a runner, but are involved in walking, aerobics or other sports, custom orthotics can help keep your feet pain free and healthy.
Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.
