SHOES THAT TONE YOUR BUM? I'LL HAVE SOME OF THAT

An article on the Daily Mail website this week, displays a selection of shoes and trainers which claim to ease back pain, burn calories and even tone your bottom! Sounds good. But taking a look at the pictured I was not so impressed.

First off was a rather ugly flat pump with orange trim and an ankle strap.
Named Vivo Barefoot Candy and retailing at £55, the claim is that the shoe will improve your posture by flexing and strengthening the muscles in your feet.

Obviously, as the name suggests, they are meant to feel like your are walking in bare feet. Well I don't know about you but the only place I walk in bare feet is indoors and my Tigger slippers are just fine thank you.

Next comes the Earth Exerfit at £36. This bland looking flip-flop claims to help you burn off four times more calories with every step than with a normal shoe. They are designed in such a way as to make you feel like you are walking on a treadmill.

The problem, as the author points out, is that if you are switching between these and high heels you are likely to cause yourself more harm than good. I won't bother with them then.

Of a similar vain is the Tonewalker (£49.99). Again it wouldn't win any awards for prettiness - even if it is available in a nice shade of pink - and the rather weird and wacky V-shaped sole is likely to require more concentration than a 5in pair of stilettos.

More appealing are the Reebok Easytone (£65). These stylish pink and white trainers claim to tone up your bottom muscles. Due to launch in this country at the beginning of July, the makers claim that a balance pod in the sole creates instability with each step making the wearer work their abdominal, leg and bottom muscles harder to stay balanced.

The author certainly likes them, giving them a 9 out of 10 rating. I too like the idea but after my recent fall loosing my balance it the last thing I want to do.