Skechers Women’s Tone-up Sandal

Rocker sole athletic shoes are everywhere these days. Now, athletic shoe companies such as Skechers and others have created a women’s rocker sole flip-flop version that is the latest rage for summer footwear. Companies that sell the shoes say the rocker bottom sole aids weight loss, tone muscles, relieve stress on the knees and hips and improve posture. In some cases, rocker shoes may be used for rehabilitation of pain or injuries.

Rocker shoes are deliberately built to be unstable, to make it harder for you to balance. The concept is similar to a balance ball that you may have used in a gym to keep you off balance while you work out to strengthen and tone your muscles. To stand or walk in these shoes, you use more muscles than you do using regular shoes, the companies say. The rolling bottom of the rocker sole simulates walking on a surface such as sand.

A friend of mine who happens to work at a shoe store says that she wears rocker sole athletic shoes to work every day because she is on her feet all day and her legs and feet do not seem as tired when she gets home.

Developed by the Skechers Fitness Group for women, Skechers Tone-ups feature a sole with varying thickness from tow to heel that the company says can help improve posture, strengthen the calf and thigh muscles, and increase general fitness. I recently purchased a pair of Skechers Tone-ups and after a couple days of wearing them all day long I can feel a difference in my calves, like I’ve been working out. The thick sole was what appealed to me because I love wearing flip-flops but because I have plantar fasciitis, I’m very uncomfortable in really flat shoes. The Skechers Tone-ups that I purchased are extremely comfortable and have worn them in the house and out to the store, plus they look fashionable. I don’t feel off-balance in them or even notice when I’m wearing them that the sole is slanted slightly forward.

I looked at a few other rocker sole flip-flops such as Reebok Women’s Easytone Flip Sandal and MBT Women’s Sandal, but the Skechers Tone-ups had the best style and color choices as well as a reasonable price.

Although the Skechers company claims that you can wear these shoes instead of going to the gym but reap the same benefits, I will stick with my workout routine of aerobics and resistance training. I just do not think a shoe can give me the same results. I also do not feel like I am getting more of a cardio workout other than just walking when wearing the flip-flops, but maybe as I wear the Tone-ups more I will notice the cardio benefit.