Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The Tale of Skechers Toning Shoes

Toning shoes like Skechers Shape-ups & Resistance Runner represent a big segment of the multi-billion athletic footwear industry.  Skechers market their shoes as those that can “tone muscles, promote healthy weight loss, & improve posture”.  However, some experts say that the company’s claims are outrageous and that their shoes have potential hazards.  As health gurus, we decided to take a closer look to find out if their shoes really deliver what they promise to do.

The Ads
Aside from the ad posted below, their ads also feature well-toned celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Brooke Burke, and Pro-Football legend Joe Montana as endorsers. Skechers also commissioned 4 clinical studies in the US & Japan, with results that showed Shape-ups increased muscle activity & energy consumption over standard fitness shoes.



The following image shows the results of a clinical study and the statistical method used by Skechers:

To read a copy of one of the clinical studies, please click here.


 Analysis:  What we found out

1.    Clinical studies:  Conflict of interest.
These studies were done to test the shoes’ benefits compared to regular fitness shoes.  2 of the 4 clinical studies were “independent”, and conducted by chiropractor Dr. Steve Gautreau. Skechers failed to disclose that Dr. Gautreau, who gave a good review on the ads was not only compensated for his services but was also married to the Senior Vice President for Marketing at Skechers.   This is a clear conflict of interest.



a. The First Clinical Study: (a 6-week study with 8 participants) – No control group;  Bad sampling. 

It showed that participants wearing Shape-ups footwear lost an average of 3.25 lbs and represented that further weight loss and other improvements could be assumed with continuous use of the footwear.  One defect of this study is it didn’t include a control group (a group of participants who wore standard fitness shoes to serve as comparison to the group wearing Shape-ups footwear).*

b. The Second Clinical Study (8 weeks with 80 participants)- Biased; With numerous defects; Use of unreliable statistical methods. 

The data relied upon the study were altered and incomplete:   Ex.  Some participants gained weight/increased body fat percentage, but were falsely reported as having lost weight.  Some data were also missing, or were not collected from some of the study’s participants.  In addition, some of the study participants were connected to the researchers:  Ex.  Wives of  2 of the co-authors, parents of one of the study’s co-authors, employees and/or persons associated with Dr. Gautreau.*


*based on a study done by US FTC.

2.  On the Skechers Resistance Runner Ad:


This ad was actually questioned by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the US - a government body in charge of protecting consumers from unfair or deceptive acts or practices.  FTC officials said that the above claims lacked scientific evidence, as they were not substantiated during the time the representations were made.  According to FTC, each muscle activation percentage was based on the readings from a single subject in a one-day study, and thus, could not represent what consumers could expect to achieve from wearing Resistance Runner.

3.  Another ad in question:

Note the following statements on this ad:  “Shape Up While You Walk” and “Get in Shape Without Setting Foot in a Gym”.

The FTC alleges that the above claims were actually unsupported and lacked scientific evidence.  The above ad falsely gives the notion that enough clinical studies were done to back up Skechers’ claim.

4.  Many doctors worry about the effects of wearing toning shoes, particularly on those with balance and alignment issues.  Dr. Barbara de Lateur, a professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Medicine in Baltimore, said that toning shoes like Shape-ups can lead to strained Achilles Tendons due to their bulky and unstable design.  Other possible injuries include pulled hamstrings and broken ankles.


Our Two Cents’ Worth:

The growing competitiveness among the big market leaders have led some companies to engage in more aggressive techniques and forms of advertising.  Most of the time, consumers fall prey to exaggerated claims and deceptive ads.

In the case of Skechers, it would have been better if they had conducted extensive clinical studies, done by a different doctor who’s not related to any of its employees, to avoid bias.

Companies should strictly observe proper advertising ethics and should be mindful of their responsibilities to the consumers since their ads affect buying behavior.  Whatever health and sports claims they make should be backed up by complete evidence and reliable studies to avoid misleading the public and avoid legal consequences altogether.  Skechers has been accused by the US FTC of deceptive advertising and misrepresentation of data.  The Company’s use of charts and statistics without enough scientific evidence and faulty clinical studies led consumers to believe that their shoes were more superior to traditional sneakers. 

As consumers, we should carefully evaluate advertising claims to avoid being misled. 

Skechers meanwhile, continues to defend its claims, saying it agreed to pay out only to avoid the expensive and long legal process.



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