Reebok Crosby

They seem too good to be true; you can exercise the same amount or simply walk around and your legs and behind get a workout that would usually take hours a day at the gym. But do they actually work or is this all just some marketing campaign? A team of scientists with backgrounds in exercise, sport and physiology at the University of Wisconsin conducted a study to test the claims on each of the shoes.

Reebok

Heading up the test was John Porcari PhD who agrees that in theory the trainers should work the muscles harder because it creates instability that the body attempts to counteract. The shoes are based on a curved sole which creates an unstable surface which forces the wearer's body to constantly struggle to find equilibrium.

The team tested the Reetone range on a group of females aged between 19 and 24. The subjects were tested through exercise trials and measured by muscle activation, heart rate and caloric expenditure.

The trails were also conducted with a group aged 21 to 27 and both groups were tested with regular trainers to compare. The first results were not impressive, using the Reetone trainers did not increase caloric expenditure or heart rate and only produced aching of the muscles.

The scientists also surveyed users of the shoes over a period of several months and found that they experienced a degree of toning of the legs and bum. But the team struggled to determine whether the toning was entirely due to the imbalance the shoes created or the motivation to walk more.

The Reebok Easytone campaign has promoted the Easytone trainers by emphasising the positive effects on the toning and shaping of women's legs and bums.