While walking barefoot through a paddy field in Korea, Swiss engineer Karl Muller realised that his backache, which he suffered with, was quite a bit better. He did some further research and found that the Masai tribesmen of Africa did not suffer from bad backs. They were also well known for their excellent posture.

Reviewing the evidence, Muller concluded that walking barefoot on soft, yielding ground was significantly better for your back and joints than walking on firm surfaces. He decided to try to design a shoe which would reproduce the effects of walking barefoot on a soft surface such as sand or grass.

The end result was the Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoe. In fact, according to the company website, it is so different to a conventional shoe that it merits the name of “anti-shoe”.

MBT shoes have a specially designed curved sole with no heel, which encourages a gentle rolling action when your foot makes contact with the ground. Just like walking barefoot on sand in fact. The use of different density materials in different areas also adds to the effect by further minimizing impact shock and jarring.

Scientific studies have confirmed that this is genuinely better for your back and joints. As well as better posture, there are further proven benefits. For example, whilst walking normally in MBT shoes, the wearer’s muscles will be in use for longer (when compared to similar walking in conventional shoes). The muscles are used for about 16% longer. Wearers also tend to “walk properly” and take slightly shorter strides. Both of these effects raise the amount of work done.

The upshot of this is that every step you take whils wearing MBT shoes is providing you with extra exercise. It’s a lower body training session while you walk. So, in addition to reducing back pain and enhancing posture, MBT shoes also help to trim your buttocks and tone up your legs.

You would imagine that would be sufficient wouldn’t you? However, despite all of these benefits some people find MBT shoes a little chunky and not very easy on the eye. They are also more expensive than normal shoes (although considering the potential benefits they may well be great value for money). Fortunately there are now other, more cosmetically appealing, shoes available which work on the same basic principles. Both Skechers Shape Ups and Fitflops Fitflops have similar curved soles which are specially designed to maximize the muscle activity timespan and tone your legs and buttocks whilst engaged in everyday, normal walking activity.

Whichever footwear you choose, the possibility of reducing back and joint pain whilst simultaneously exercising your lower body – all whilst engaged in nothing more strenuous than normal daily walking – looks very attractive.

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