MBT Walking Shoes

I heard about MBT walking shoes from a friend, who recommended these shoes highly. She is a fitness trainer at a gym who said they are great for toning your leg muscles, increasing muscle activity and helps you attain a correct posture and stride. This recommendation made me a bit skeptical about do MBT shoes really work. Thus, I took the time to do a bit of research about what are MBT shoes and try them out myself. Let me share with you what I learned about what are MBT shoes and the answer to do MBT shoes really work.

What are MBT Shoes
The ugly, curved, thick soled and wide strapped shoes are MBT walking shoes. MBT walking shoes stands for Masai barefoot technology shoes. These Masai barefoot technology shoes are designed for stimulating walking in sand. The multilayer curved sole of the shoe helps create a natural gait on an uneven walking surface. They force the body to use all the major and stabilizing muscles and thus training the body to move with the correct posture and stride. The Masai barefoot technology shoes are meant to make the core muscles become stronger, active and increase the shock absorption.

Masai Barefoot Technology History
Before we move on to does Masai barefoot technology work, let us read something about the Masai barefoot technology history. The MBT walking shoes were invented by a Swiss engineer Karl Muller in the early 1990. He was on a visit to Korea and while walking barefoot on the soft paddy fields, he found his back, knee and Achilles tendonitis pain reduce considerably. At the same time, he also found the Masai tribesmen never suffered from back pain and they are known for their well toned legs and perfect posture. Putting these facts together, Muller found out that this was because of the ground under their feet. The flat, hard and unnatural surfaces that we walk on normally, add to our woes of back pain, knee and leg pain.

Thus, Muller came up with a shoe that had a curved sole, no heel and can mimic the movement of walking on soft grass or sand. He created his prototype in 1996 and by the year 2000, he had managed to sell more than 20,000 pairs of MBT walking shoes in Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

There are many celebrities like Jodie Kidd, Jemima Khan, Cher, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Heidi Klum who are said to have these shoes added to their footwear collection. Thus, boosting the popularity of the Masai barefoot technology shoes.

Does Masai Barefoot Technology Work
This brings us to the very important question, does Masai barefoot technology work? This question is really important due to its heavy price tag of $270 to $300. So, do MBT shoes really work? There was a study undertaken by the Sheffield Hallam University that concluded MBT walking shoes help knee, hips and ankles better than any other shoes. It showed some amount of reduction in strain on the body. However, there was nothing to suggest that it helped reduce the back pain, leg pain, knee pain and ankle troubles. There are many claims about MBT walking shoes that includes:

• Improving posture and gait
• Toning and shaping the body
• Activating neglected leg muscles
• Reduce joint, muscle, ligaments and tendon injuries
• Reduction in stress on the knees and hip joints

However, there are many users who do not think these shoes are some kind of a wonder walking devices. Some people claim using these shoes have increased their back and hip pain. Also, those who do not learn to maintain a good posture with or without the shoes do not have much difference to feel. Thus, to be on the safe side, you should always consult a physiotherapist or an experienced trainer regarding how to use them properly before trying them out.

Where to Buy MBT Walking Shoes
If you are convinced about the benefits of Masai Barefoot technology shoes and have spoken to a physiotherapist, you must be wondering where to buy MBT walking shoes. You can visit MBT walking shoes stores in your city and try them on. You may find it a bit uncomfortable initially. You need to make sure the shoes are a bit snug at the heel. You can walk around the store and try to get used to them. But, this may take time and you may have a change of mind.

You can even visit online MBT walking shoes stores and purchase these shoes. However, make sure you visit an authentic MBT walking shoes website and an authorized MBT Shoe retailer. Do not get tempted to buy cheap shoes that are sold for as low as $100 as most of them are knock offs. Do not buy shoes that are half size large or half size small. Make sure they fit your feet perfectly. Once you get home your MBT walking shoes, wear them for about 20 to 30 minutes and walk around. This will help you make sure they are the correct size and also make your feet used to these funny looking shoes.

There are plenty of choices available when it comes to MBT walking shoes for men and MBT walking shoes for women. You need to check out the various shoe sizes available according to your gender and find one that fits perfectly. The MBT walking shoes are best for normal daily activity like walking. The Masai barefoot technology shoes are not recommended for running. Make sure you speak to a physiotherapist before buying one. You may find loads of positive and negative reviews related to do MBT shoes work. Each individual may have had a different experience with the shoes. There is no sure shot evidence that these shoes do offer what the manufactures claim. Make sure you think twice before you buy the Masai barefoot technology shoes.