Today’s Podiatrist Wears the latest Toner Footwear …

Profile—Dr. Tracey Vlahovic, Associate Professor, Podiatric Medicine & Orthopedics, Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine

You may not expect your podiatrist to actually be wearing a pair of the latest trend in footwear—the popular toner shoe!  But if you happen to see Tracey Vlahovic, DPM, in Philadelphia, then you must take a peek to see which pair of toning shoes she is currently wearing.  “I have been wearing MBT® shoes for five years, and bought my first pair of Sketchers®  Shape-Ups this past summer,” Dr. Vlahovic says.

She said she favors the MBT shoes because of their firmness and better support.  The Sketchers are much softer and don’t provide as much stability and support. Dr. Vlahovic has some things to take into account before buying, mostly because, “They aren’t for everyone”:

Toner shoes can be likened to walking barefoot in the sand, according to Dr. Vlahovic.

Kinesiotape (used to reduce pain) demonstrates the Achilles tendon and calf muscle areas.

• If you have any movement disorders, issues with stability (cerebella issues), then these aren’t the shoes for you.
• MBTs were originally meant to rehab the Achilles tendon and were used by Olympic athletes to train in.
• They impersonate walking barefoot in the sand.
• If you are a stable ‘footed’ person with strong ankles and want to work the back muscles of your leg and thigh (Achilles/Hamstrings) including your core, then toner shoes might very well be suited for you.
• These shoes are not meant to be worn a full day, right out of the box; they really must be broken into properly (MBTs come with a DVD on how to break them in and exercises for preparing to wear them comfortably for a whole day).

This former avid ballroom dancer says she bought these shoes for her chronically tight Achilles tendons; also her great toe joint (first MPJ) took a beating from her dancing days. “For me, they truly are physiologic footwear,” she says, and doesn’t buy into them being ‘a gym in a shoe.’ They help her pay more attention to the back muscles of the body, i.e., the Achilles and Hamstrings.

Some ‘shoe-formation’ from Dr. Vlahovic—

1. If properly taken care of, a well-made, more costly shoe (like the MBT) may last for years;
2. A poorly made shoe may not last six months; and
3. Wearing different shoes on consecutive days in order to air out the previous day’s shoes can help prolong their shoe-life.

When deciding how many pairs of shoes to have and how often to wear each, consider the make of the shoe, what the shoe is being used for, and how often it’s being used, according to Dr. Vlahovic. 

If you need more advice concerning toner shoes or your feet set up an appointment to visit your podiatrist.  Also the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) has evaluated and scientifically reviewed certain toning shoes, and several have made it on APMA’s Seal Program. To learn more, go to http://www.apma.org/MainMenu/RecommendedProducts.aspx. 

Dr. Vlahovic is a Diplomate of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. She completed the first fellowship for Podiatrists in Dermatology in the U.S. at St. Luke’s Hospital, Bethlehem, PA. She currently is an Instructor in Dermatology at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine (TUSPM), Philadelphia, PA.