It sounds too good to be true: a sneaker that “uses hidden balance board technology that encourages muscle activation in the glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves, which in turn burns calories.”
That's New Balance's description of its so-called “toning shoe,” which sports a rounded shape that makes it harder to keep one's balance, which in turn supposedly makes the muscles work harder and thus burn more calories.
But a lawsuit filed last week says that New Balance's claims really are nothing more than hype.
The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, where the shoe company is based, says that New Balance's claims about the shoe are “false, misleading, and reasonably likely to deceive the public.”
Study: Shoes provide little benefit
According to the suit, lead plaintiff Bistra Pashamova “was exposed to and saw New Balance's advertising claims, purchased New Balance toning shoes in reliance on these claims, and suffered injury in fact and lost money as a result.”
The complaint cites several studies concluding that the sneakers simply do not live up to their promises. One by the American Council on Exercise found that wearing the sneakers does not produce any “statistically significant increases in either exercise response or muscle activation.”
New Balance's sneakers are the latest “toning shoes” to hit the market, following Reebok's EasyTone shoes and Skechers's Shape-Up line, both of which are facing their own lawsuits.
Diet and exercise still reign supreme
Based on the glut of litigation concerning this latest fads, consumers might do well to heed advice dished out last July by the Boston Globe: “Fads in dieting, equipment, and footwear come and go, but the old standby of moderate exercise, a few times a week, seldom fails.”
“Get-fit-quick schemes are a lot like get-rich-quick schemes: They’re usually too good to be true, especially when they’re making money for someone else,” the Globe wrote in that editorial. “That seems a decent analysis of the current footwear trend known as the 'toning shoe,' which is helping to boost sneaker sales for New Balance and other companies. But scientists and podiatrists are already raising questions about whether toning shoes do all they promise, and whether they cause unnecessary pain.”
Mayo Clinic doctor dismisses shoes
Indeed, in response to a consumer's question, Dr. Edward R. Laskowski of the Mayo Clinic wrote that “there is no convincing evidence that wearing toning shoes will make your legs more toned or cause you to burn extra calories.”
“Manufacturers say the unstable design of the shoes forces wearers to use their leg muscles more -- which burns more calories and tones the muscles,” Laskowski wrote. “However, an independent study by a nonprofit fitness organization found no evidence that wearing toning shoes leads to improved muscle tone or greater energy expenditure. In addition, there are no studies that prove that they improve balance or stability to a great degree.”
It remains to be seen whether the increased skepticism will slow consumers' infatuation with toning shoes. The subset produced sales of $1.5 billion last year alone, and decades of experience have shown that Americans are always willing to take the easy route to a better body.
