The latest development in exercise shoes is “toning” shoes which promise to tone and trim your lower body when you wear them and walk around as you would be doing anyway. They work by encouraging the muscles in your lower body to work a little harder when you walk whilst wearing them. This is done by using a specially engineered sole which usually mimics the effect of walking barefoot on soft ground – such as lush grass or sand.

According to a number of different manufacturers, this gives you a lower body workout without needing to visit the gym. As well as toning your lower body and helping you to get in better shape other benefits are achievable, such as better posture, improved blood circulation and reduced joint and lower back pain.

However, you do need to exercise a little caution. According to the Skechers Shape Ups website, you should resist the natural temptation to wear your new toning shoes all the time when you first get them – otherwise you may feel some pain in your muscles. They should be “broken in” like any new shoes. Wear them for no more than 45 minutes at a time for the first few days, gradually building up to wearing them full time only when you have become accustomed to them.