Shoe maker Skechers USA Inc on Tuesday refuted a recent study that suggests its popular toning footwear brand Shape-Ups does not have the beneficial health effects that have been its selling point till now.
Toning shoes, which slightly upset the wearer’s balance, claim to work leg and buttock muscles and force the wearer to work harder while walking. In a study released in July, the non-profit American Council on Exercise said toning shoes, “do not deliver the fitness or muscle toning benefits they claim.”
Citing earlier studies that showed how toning shoes help the wearer lose weight and improve fitness, the Manhattan Beach shoe maker said the council’s study did not have any scientific basis. The company also said it would contest two new civil complaints against its Shape-Ups product line, saying the lawsuits were frivolous and aimed at extorting money from the company.
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