Skechers Shape Ups Shoes: Cool or Not?

August 3, 2009

If you're not willing to pay nearly $250 for MBTs, you might consider the Skechers version. Skechers Shape Ups Strength ($100) and Shape Ups Metabolize ($100) mimic walking barefoot, helping you tone your muscles and get in shape. Would you wear them?

115 Comments

crrnball 1 year

I didn't have time to read all 114 comments but the first batch I read were mainly about what the shoes look like and the dangers of the shoe. I don't care what they look like but they have helped me in two specific ways; One, I like to wear them on concrete floors because they really cushion the foot. (Our local Wal-Mart has the hardest floors on earth!. 10 minutes on their floor without my Shape-ups and my hips hurt! ) Second, I developed a sore Achilles tendon on the tennis court and one day of walking in my Skechers cured me after a week of hobbling. I don't understand why, but they work! When you google it you mainly find law firms trying to find clients to sue Skechers for damages caused. My experience is the exact opposite. BTW I am a 60 year old overweight weekend warrior.

Neepain 1 year

I so much regret buying Skechers--I am currently in a leg brace and need one for more other knee too. I suddenly developed joint, muscle, and nerve problems in my legs after wearing them. Before these shoes, I exercised regularly and had no orthopedic problems. Now I'm laid up and barely able to walk.

2 years

Both my father and I have had these since Christmas and haven't had any issues. I can't say that I've seen any difference in my "toning" though. But overall the shoes are very comfortable and I'm pleased with the purchase.

2 years

I LOVED my Shape Ups. I wore them for a year then my feet started hurting so I got another pair thinking the ones I had were just old and needed replacement. My feet actually started hurting more and my achilles tendon in both feet started feeling like it was going to rip off my heel it hurt so bad. I have stopped wearing the Shape Ups and started stretching my achilles tendons regularly throughout the day. There is still a great deal of pain, but I am hoping that this will subside over time and with some care.

2 years

I have reallybad back problems and knee problems since I started wearing these damn shoes. To me it's not worth the money. My doctor says they can make you need a knee replacement if you are over corecting.

2 years

I have had my shape-ups for about 6 months. I wore them on my morning walks and had no problems at all until all of a sudden I woke up one day last week and could hardly walk. My achillies tendon was sore and even swollen. I didn't notice any pain while wearing them but I bet they are the cause. I can't shake this achilles problem on my own so I guess I'm off to the doctor. Thankfully I bought my shape-ups at costco so I can still return them.

2 years

I bought a pair of these and they are well worth the money. I have plantar fasciitis and they have improved my condition so much that I no longer limp. By letting the heel go lower than the rest of the foot, it mimics the stretching exercises recommended for plantar fasciitis. I've only had them about a month and I'm pain free!!!! I recommend to anyone with foot pain.

2 years

These shoes were recommended to me, and they felt great at first, but now I am having really bad recurrence of my plantar fascitis problem, and my knees are starting to bother me. I won't be able to wear them anymore, so I am sorry I spent the money.

anonymoushippopotamus 2 years

i don't know how/why these won out over reebok's easy tone. the reebok shoes are so much more attractive and they had better advertising. oh well.

2 years

Im 60 yrs. old and never had foot problems, my wife bought a pair and loves them so after several months i bought a pair, wow! i loved them, then after a few weeks I noticed it hurt to wear my regular shoes. Then a few weeks later it hurt when i stood up and for a few steps. I told my wife and she said that's ridiculous because they were developed as orthopedic shoes to help peoples feet. Now when i get up from sitting i can hardly move, very painful!!!!!

2 years

if you don't want to blow $100-$200 on these shoes check your closest Ross store! i found a brand new pair for only $40!

2 years

NOT FOR EVERYONE... i'm one of those people who are looking for good arch support after buying this.... would suggest to buy from a place which gives good return policy so that u can really use it for a few days and see... it was brilliant the first time then i slowly noticed the overpronation and was like aww shuxxx..!!!!

2 years

I don't believe all these posts about injuries they attribute to wearing tennishoes. Nothing in these shoes can cause numb skin, for pete's sake! Reports of vertebrae damage, hip injuries, knee injuries, broken ankles due to falling... yada yada yada. Trying to blame 2 broken ankles on the shoes is just ridiculous. No healthy person breaks both ankles from stepping on a tree root. Obviously there was a decade-long calcium deficiency at play. I think there are MANY out-of-shape people hoping a pair of shoes will cure their obesity after years of bodily abuse (i.e years of insufficient exercise is body abuse). So after a couple hours of walking on a difficult surface, they are overtaxed. Parts of their body that have been neglected are COMPLAINING. That's par for the course when you start any new regimen, so toughen up and work through it or go back to the couch... your choice. Please, folks, remember that ice is your friend. If you feel some pain, just ice it, don't blame a shoe manufacturer. And GRADUALLY work up. Walking a mile in Skechers is tougher than walking a mile in stability shoes, so you need to recognize that 1 mile in Skechers is significantly more exercise. If you normally walk 1 mile/day, then you shouldn't walk more than 1/2-mile per day in the Skechers. I have actually had a TRUE knee injury, and part of the rehab that I do at the phys.therapy office involves learning to balance again on a wobbly surface. It is very good for you! But, that balancing exercise is done in short intervals, and is followed by ice. As others have mentioned, these shoes appear to be a GREAT toner. I immediately noticed the balancing difficulty. And after walking only 1 mile I was breathing hard, which isn't normal for me. Yeah! I welcome this exercise challenge, but I definitely don't plan on wearing them all day long. Who would? Would you lift weights all day long? Would you jump rope all day long? Of course not, don't be absurd. You will get injuries, duh! Just treat the shoe like any other workout device. I would never try to wear these all day until I had worked up to it, hour by hour.

2 years

I love my "shape ups"! I have been wearing them for over 6 months (pretty much everyday), I guess either you like them or you don't. As far as the way the shoes look who cares as long as they work for you plus, I have seen shoes that other people wear that I may not like but if they like them it doesn't bother me. Besides if the show fits wear it!! P.S. I have flat feet and lower back issues and the "shape up" really seem to help with that...

2 years

I REGRET purchasing my 2 pair of shape-ups!!! Like most of these reviews, they were comfortable at first, bouncy, but tolerable....after wearing them 5 nights a week to work and my 2nd pair outside of work, I have stress fractured both femurs up near my hips. I am/was very active and already in shape, but wanted extra toning in my legs, INSTEAD, I had to undergo surgery on both legs to have screws put into both femur bones. No standing, or bearing ANY weight on my legs for 6 weeks following surgery!!! Wheelchair bound, tons of medical bills, and 2 legs that will NEVER be the same ! I am completely convinced that this is a result of these shoes because I changed nothing in my routines, EXCEPT for wearing shape-ups :-( It's foolish for anybody to think that all of these injuries are coincidence, and after all of these complaints of injuries, skechers does NOTHING, but suggest they be returned to where they were purchased???? REALLY??? The cost of the shoes & getting a refund is the LEAST of my concerns...WARN CONSUMERS OF THE INJURY RISKS!!!! My body will never be the same all because of these shoes!!! The "potential benefits," if any are not worth this kind of risk!!!

2 years

2 weeks ago I bought sketcher shape-ups. They felt really good on my feet. I'm on my feet 12 hours a day working. Within 3-4 days my lower back started aching soo bad! My friends said to stop wearing them, I kept wearing them because my feet didn't hurt anymore, but I got really bad back pain. I stopped wearing them and back to regular shoes again. My back pain is slowly getting better. I went to the Dr. and they couldn't find anything wrong, so I believe it was the shape-ups.

2 years

I've been wearing my sketchers for about 4 months, I walk my dog 3 miles a day. About a month ago my knee started hurting and I haven't been able to walk for over 3 weeks. I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon this week............BE careful with those shoes!!!

la ragazza piccola 2 years

Those shoes are really nerdy. Every time I see someone wearing them, I just ask myself, why? Just get Nike's....

2 years

I too have tried those shoes, and like everyone else I loved them at first, but the I strated to notice pain in my left hip, I did not pay much attention to it at first, but then it got alot worse. Now I have Piriformis pain with Sciatica on my left side. And now unable to go to work at my DESK JOB!! Sitting upright is too painful. Something has to be done about this. No one should have to go thru this type of pain because of a shoe.

2 years

Bought the shoes & loved them - initially. After wearing them for just 2 weeks, my left leg started getting numb, tingling. Thought I had a pinched nerve or something, went to the chiropractor, after 2 more weeks, x-rays were ordered, then on to the orthopedic doctor, MRI ordered, then on to the neurosurgeon. Diagnosis - ruptured disc in the L4 & L4 vertebrae, and L5 vertebrae is out of alignment pressing on my sciatic nerve. Steroids, epidural shot, and I'm now awaiting surgery. Was it the shoes? It is the only thing different I did. No fall, no injury, just gradual pain the more I wore the shoes. When a friend recently pointed out that my pain began shortly after wearing the shoes, I thought hard about that. I am going to be discussing this with my doctors, but what a strange coincidence - or is it?

2 years

I am very disappointed in the Shape-Ups shoes. I purchased this pare almost 6 months ago. I followed the instructions stretching my legs and ankles before I put them on every morning. After 3 months of wearing them I cannot wear them due to tendon damage in my left ankle. $100 spent on these shoes and I still have to buy a new pair of shoes that will accommodate my painful injury that will take years to completely heal. I would do anything to get my money back for these but Skechers will not accept returns over 45 days old and without the original packaging. The injury was directly caused by the shoes hyper extending the tendon at the back of my heal. I would never recommend these to anyone.

2 years

I suffered from Plantar fasciitis for more than 3 years.....a chronic condition, very agonizing the majority of the time. I passed on the MBTs and opted for custom made inserts....basically I thought they would last longer than the shoes... Then I hear about shape ups....(inserts still didnt take the pain away, even after 2 years) Initially, when I would wake up in the morning and begin the agony of heel pain....upon putting on the shape ups, the pain reduced dramatically...eventually just putting them on took my pain away...........After 4 years the pain has totally gone. I would totally recommend for anyone suffering from plantar fasciitis!

2 years

Skechers Shape Ups proved to be so unstable, I fell -- spraining both ankles and breaking one. Other injuries from the fall as well. The rolling action encouraged by the shape of the soul caused the foot with the broken ankle to roll in a severe way. Until that happened, I liked the shoes very much. Now I'd never go near them again.

2 years

shape ups is the best shoe I have ever found in my entire life. they took away all my knee pain from standing up> they are the only shoe i have that doesnt wear down on the outside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!> I have ra in my knees and i no longer have no pain or take any medicine and im a hair stylist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 years

I have sustained multiple tears to my achilles tendons in both ankles. I am so incapacitated from these Skechers Shape Up shoes that I'm considering a lawsuit. I have been put in othopedic boots for 6-8 weeks, and if the tendons aren't healing by then, my doctor will consider surgery. I certainly don't want that; I haven't heard of many good outcomes. Is there anyone else who has sustained this type of injury from these shoes?

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115 Comments