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Health & Wellbeing - A step in the right direction for feet
Cherie Blair is a fan of trainers that are said to ease back problems. So is 'healthy' footwear the way forward?
Walking is undoubtedly good for your health, but with the right shoes, it could now be even better. A new generation of footwear on the market promises everything from better posture to protection from deep vein thrombosis.
Cherie Blair: wears trainers to replicate the walking style of Kenya's
Masai tribe
Ninety five per cent of the population wear the wrong-sized shoes, so
simply getting a pair that fit would be a step in the right direction
for most of us. But with so many stylish shoes leaving our feet sore and
our backs aching, it may be time to do our feet a favour and pick a pair
that actually do some good.
We tested a selection .............
Masai Barefoot Technology trainers (MBTs)
What the manufacturer says: Kenya's Masai tribe frequently walk barefoot for long distances over uneven terrain, yet rarely suffer back problems. With their multi-layered soles, MBTs (left) replicates the Masais' gait by transforming hard, even surfaces into soft, uneven ones, challenging your muscles to work harder. It is claimed that this strengthens the back and joints, alleviates pressure on the spine, increases circulation and even helps to reduce cellulite. No wonder Cherie Blair is a fan.
What our tester says: "MBTs are definitely about substance, not style, but I doubt that a pair of designer heels would ever make me walk as tall and proud and as comfortably as these do. At first, the uneven soles make me feel a bit like I'm walking on miniature seesaws. But after about two minutes of wearing them, I stride out like a supermodel.
"Because MBTs promote such good posture, they claim to burn three times as many calories as 'normal' trainers. I don't have a history of back problems, so I can't comment on whether they sort out joint pain, but I find that even short walks give my legs a thorough workout." .....
Earth shoes
From £59 +p&p, tel: 0161 975 5380, or see: www.lovethoseshoes.com
What the manufacturer says: In 1957, a Danish yoga teacher called Anne Kalso was walking along a beach in Brazil when she was struck not only by the elegant upright posture of the locals, but by their footprints – their heels left deep imprints in the sand.
'Negative heel': like walking permanently uphill
Kalso understood the connection and set out to design a shoe that would
improve the wearer's walking position by mimicking the sensation of walking
on sand, tilting the body backwards. Her solution was the "Minus
Heel" sandal, which emulated the Yoga Mountain pose, in which the
heel is lower than the toe; the body straight and aligned.
Renamed Earth shoes, Kalso's sandals – which are said to improve muscle tone, correct minor back problems and improve breathing – attracted a hippy following in America in the 1970s, before falling from grace. The brand was revived three years ago, and the shoes given a 21st-century makeover with cushioned soles and elasticated inserts, while retaining their hippy roots (there's a vegan range for serious tree-huggers).
What our tester says: "The 'negative heel technology' of my Forest Eclipse Sandstone sandals (£79) takes a bit of getting used to, especially as I'm accustomed to flat, comfortable footwear. My toes are pointed gently upwards and I find I have to lean slightly forwards to correct my posture, so that I feel like I'm walking permanently uphill.
After padding gently around the house for a few hours (walking downstairs becomes a risky, wobbly undertaking), my calf muscles feel taut, as though I've been on a brisk country walk. After venturing outdoors for a half-hour stroll, my legs are buckling like Paula Radcliffe's. Those hippies were made of strong stuff." ....
Holistic silk slippers
What the manufacturer says: Originally designed for long-haul flights, these slippers claim to promote relaxation and improve circulation to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
The slippers have a removable textured inner sole that performs reflexology as you walk by working on the acupressure points in your feet. The insoles also contain magnets, which apparently improve the flow of "chi", or energy, and disperse toxins by increasing blood circulation.
What our tester says: "During my first few paces, I thought that someone had played a cruel trick and tipped gravel into my new, soothing silk slippers; then, I remembered that the gravelly texture was the point. Hundreds of tiny plastic bumps dug into the most tender parts of my feet, producing a tingling sensation unpleasantly like pins and needles. That the inner sole could be removed seemed to be the slippers' main selling point.
"Twenty minutes later, though, I was a convert. The tingling had become irresistibly pleasurable and had spread right up my calves. The raised sections under the arch of the foot and the toes ensured that every centimetre of skin was massaged as I walked.
After an hour, my legs felt strangely light and I was drifting around the house in a delightful state of relaxation. It was also satisfying to be able to modulate the feeling simply by moving from a carpeted room to floorboards. By the end of the day, I was longing for a stone staircase to skip down.
"Where these slippers really come into their own is in the office. Sitting with my legs tucked under my desk all day can't be that different to sitting in economy class and it's surreally lovely to feel like you're having a reflexology session while clearing your in-tray. I couldn't really tell whether the magnets were having any impact on my chi, but I'm sure that wearing them improved my circulation, if only because the promise of a soothing massage with every step was such an incentive to keep me on my feet." .....
IKOs clogs
£31.50 +p&p, tel: 0161 975 5380, or see: www.lovethoseshoes.com
What the manufacturer says: Designed to channel static electrical energy away from the body, these shock-absorbing, rubber-soled Swedish clogs were originally designed to be worn in the operating theatre and computer lab, but IKO is now marketing them as a fashionable way to correct your posture, alleviate stress and improve your balance.
'The clogs ensured I stood much straighter than usual'
What our tester says: "When my trial pair arrived, I was a little alarmed that they were decorated in techni-colour daisies, but I found them surprisingly comfortable. The chunky, wooden heel conceals arch supports and padded insoles, and, although the leather is thick and sturdy, my feet felt comfortable and blister-free after wearing them all day. ......
shoes support the foot rigidly without cramping the toes and, as a result, exercise and strengthen the calf muscles."
Tested by Bryony Gordon, Paul Davies, Chloe Rhodes and Isobel Shirlaw
Original article below:
