MBT Sport Walkers by Swiss Masai - Review of MBT Sport Walkers

MBT Sport Walkers by Swiss Masai By Wendy Bumgardner, About.com Guide
Updated July 28, 2010
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MBT Sport Walker Shoes
Courtesy of Pricegrabber MBT©, Masai Barefoot Technology shoes look a bit strange. The rocker bottom is the key to the design. A good walking shoe has a slight undercut to the heel, to assist walkers in rolling through each step from heel to toe. MBT shoes enforce that with a vengeance. The company sponsored gait research to see what effects this has on walking. The results of the Sheffield Hallam University study seem to support claims that the shoes may help reduce lower back strain, as they force you to abandon forward lean and adopt a correct upright walking posture. This also reduces strain on the knees and joints. Meanwhile, it increases the workout of the butt muscles - the gluteus maximus, and wearers report an increase in tone in their butt muscles. The rocker bottom of the shoe enforces a roll-through of each step, which reduces transient peaks in ground reaction forces - in other words, it smooths out the shocks of each step. However, the shoes are heavier than many normal shoes and there is more of an overall impact with each step due to the weight. For those who have been trying to correct their walking posture or eliminate lower back pain, these shoes may be worth a try.
Study: Tim Vernon, et. al. "Changes in gait characteristics of a normal, healthy population due to an unstable shoe construction" The Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK. August, 2004. I'm a distance walker. I got the 1442's for their comfort with my orthotics for my neuromas. I have tried many styles of shoe, but these are the BEST by far. After 4 months, they are showing very lit…More
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