Shape-Ups are the newest hot trend in shoes. But do they really work? More important than that, are they safe? By now you’ve heard of the hottest new trend in shoes, the Shape-ups, also known as toner shoes. These shoes claim to work out your legs, butt and abs, all without ever setting foot in the gym. While shoes designed to tone and improve leg muscles have been around for many years, this is now a whole different ball game. Call them what you like, shape-ups, toner, rocker, or rolly shoes, but whatever you call them, it’s seems they are here to stay. With last year’s sales topping 140 million they are now very big business and with the whole country catching Shape-up fever has anyone paused to ask “Do they really work?” More important than that, “Are they safe?” While they may look clunky, the principles behind the shoes are quite grounded. The shoes feature a rounded sole, which requires the wearer to constantly adjust their balance. This constant balancing will certainly work out several muscle groups. But what if the wearer has foot problems? Can these problems be aggravated by these new shoes? Overall leg weakness with weak core muscle and lower extremity imbalance are just some examples of potential problems. So are they for you? The trick with Shape-Ups is to treat them as what they are sold as, a work out plan. As with any new work out plan, start slowly. It takes time for your body to adjust to any new pair of shoes, specialty or not. Should you encounter any problems, foot, ankle, leg, or lower back pain, stop wearing the shoes immediately and make an appointment to see your podiatrist. You can schedule an appointment at Atlantic Foot & Ankle Specialists online at https://www.atlanticfeet.com/appointment.php or call our office at (912) 355-4557. More information on Shape-Ups can be found at the links below. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2010-06-30-toning-shoes_N.htm http://living.health.com/2009/05/14/gear-guide-skechers-shape-ups-fitness-shoes/