Perspectives on Healthy Living

Rocking On With My Rocker Shoes

by Coralie Darsey-Malloy

Every day brings a chance to draw a breath, kick off your shoes and dance. ~ Oprah Winfry

Normally, I am not one to jump on bandwagons or follow the latest fads. I like to walk or rock to the beat of my own drum.

However, I broke my own rule while recently shopping for new sports shoes. Since I started using orthotics, I usually purchase my favourite brands. When I shopped around at a few stores, one of the clerks introduced me to what are called “rocker bottom” shoes. He explained that they are a style of footwear that has a thick sole with a rounded heel.

The style of these shoes ensures that the wearer does not have flat footing along the long axis of the foot. This type of shoe comes in a variety of brands that include round bottom shoes, rounded sole shoes and toning shoes. The way they are constructed shifts the wearer’s body weight behind the ankle. That requires more work to stay balanced than is required with flat-soled shoes where the center of gravity is more forward.

When I tried a pair on, I was struck with how comfortable they felt. My feet are flatter than normal and I liked the way the design created a cushioning effect under my instep. As I walked around the store in the rockers and chatted with the clerk, he said that this type of shoe has added benefits that include strengthening the back, firming calf and buttock muscles, toning and firming thigh muscles, increasing cardiovascular health, improving posture, reducing stress on the knee and ankle joints, and relieving muscle tension and fatigue.

As I listened to him extol the wide range of therapeutic claims, I could feel my skepticism kicking in. I’d definitely have to do more research before accepting all that the rocker shoes are supposed to do. However, my feet were sore from tromping around the mall in what my chiropractor calls “twin tower” shoes (four-inch stacked heels) so I decided to purchase a pair of rockers. As I paid for them, the clerk said that rocker sole shoes work muscles differently and suggested that I wear them for only a couple of hours a day to start.

Evidently they simulate walking barefoot on soft earth or sand and create a different alignment within the body, which needs time to adjust. Even though I was warned not to overdo it, I ended up wearing them longer than I had planned. I awoke the next morning feeling as though I had done a rigorous workout. My knees and hips felt achy and there was an overall soreness that was surprising. I left the rockers off for a day and then decided to wear them to work the rest of the week.

The appeal for me was how comfortable and cushiony the shoes were and that is why I kept wearing them. At the end of the first week, it felt as though my body had been able to adjust. Then after about a week, I had some hip and knee pain develop and I could not tell whether it was the shoes or the fact that I had been on my feet a lot more than usual due to work demands. It was at that point that I decided to do some further research about rocker shoes so I could write about them in a balanced way while being my own case study.

I was surprised to discover that rocker sole shoes have been referenced in publications as early as 1990 but have only been popularized in mass marketing since the late 1990s. While acknowledging that rocker sole shoes work different muscles, the jury is still out over the many health claims that the manufacturers make. In 2010, the University of Wisconsin was commissioned by the American Council on Exercise to compare the efficacy of wearing rocker bottom shoes and athletic shoes. The authors concluded there was no fitness benefit to wearing rocker sole shoes. This study was cited in 2011 in a class-action lawsuit alleging false advertising by a variety of high-profile manufacturers. There were also a number of claims that rocker shoes could increase the risk of falling. A number of podiatrists said that any positive benefits from the shoes would not be permanent because the body would eventually adapt to the changes in alignment from whatever shoes the person was wearing.

Some orthopedic surgeons are not in favor of people with knee, hip, tendon or back problems wearing shoes with the rocker sole design. As I continued gathering information, I found a number of conflicting reports and testimonies claiming that in an eight-week study, participants showed an increase in physical performance, strength and endurance over a group of control subjects who wore normal athletic shoes. It concluded that a walking program using rockers may promote improvements in weight loss, body composition and muscle strength. However, the results depend on individual physiology rather than the shoes itself.

Everything I was reading added to my skepticism and confusion. I needed to have my orthotic insoles adjusted, so I called my physiotherapist and made an appointment to discuss the pros and cons of wearing rocker shoes. A number of years ago I had successfully avoided having knee surgery and I did not want to risk doing anything to damage my knees now. I took the rockers to my appointment and she watched me walk.

She said  that my gait was fine and did not see a problem with me continuing to use them as long as I alternated the rocker sole shoes with a good pair of flat-soled athletic running shoes. My physiotherapist was aware of all the hype around this style of shoe and echoed my belief that they are not a magic bullet to getting in shape without ever setting foot in the gym. In her view, it could be that any good results from a study are as much from a walking program as they are from the design of the footwear. After she adjusted my orthotics, she had me stride back and forth in my rockers again to check my alignment. This therapist is also aware of my tendency to wear less than sensible shoes and felt that the rocker shoes would be preferable over my twin towers. She emphasized listening to my body and maintaining realistic expectations about what rocker shoes can and cannot do.

Most importantly, she stressed not wearing them for more than a couple of hours a day and only for walking – not running, jogging or using them on a treadmill. From everything I saw while putting this article together, it is clear that rocker bottom shoes are becoming increasingly more popular. I interviewed a few teachers at the school where I do counseling.

Their experiences with these shoes had led them to the same conclusion that I had come to. Whether they are a passing fad or here to stay, the important thing to remember is the body will always let us know whether something is good or not. Our challenge as consumers lies in making informed choices – especially as rocker shoes are now being marketed to children as well. So for now, I am happily rocking and rolling with my fun rocker shoes while striving to maintain balance and moderation in all things foot and exercise related.

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Coralie Darsey-Malloy is a free lance writer, life coach, group leader and public speaker – and co-directs a personal development company called Fresh Beginnings – www.fresh-beginnings.com. Call for more information at (204) 242-3373. Coralie is also an author and has written a book about her healing journey that will be published later this year. The website for I’ve Been There–A Testimony of Hope is: www.ibtbook.com