Tried a pair on today and the difference it made to my posture was
amazing – anyone use these and what do you think of them?

❓

MBT = Masai Barefoot Technology….

….boll……..ocks.

"The claims as to assisting posture, back, hip and knee problems are not supported by evidence or any good rational explanation," says Dr David Johnson, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at St Mary's Hospital in Bristol. "Indeed the instability provoked [by the shoe] will increase the muscle activity and energy required to walk – thus increasing fatigue and tiredness. Technically, the increased need for this muscular activity in stabilising is not "natural" or "physiological" and would increase rather than decrease stress and pressure on all these areas of the body which, rather than be helpful, may be detrimental."

Laura Williams, diet and fitness expert, thinks that while wearing the shoe is better than nothing, nothing replaces learning good posture, permanently. "Of my clients who have tried MBTs, some have had to stop wearing them because they have aggravated bad backs and hips. The problem is that everyone has their own bio-mechanical quirks and if you wear these shoes without proper recommendation and instruction, they can make things worse. And then, what happens when you take the shoes off? I always think that if you were to go to a couple of Pilates classes then you would be able to improve your posture yourself, but some people simply aren't going to do that. And I've certainly seen anecdotal evidence that they do work for some people, just not for everyone."

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/mbt-shoes-do-they-actually-work-857532.html" class="bbcode-link">
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/mbt-shoes-do-they-actually-work-857532.html
It's a shoe, nowt else.

Try getting served at a pub wobbling about in a pair of those!

They work for me. I have a health problem which is aggravated by standing around/walking with any weight on my heels. The MBTs get around this by spreading the weight more evenly than a normal shoe and removing heel-strike.

Though not designed for my specific problem, I was put on to them by the podiatrist who was dealing with my case. Turns out he was involved in one of the original trials.

Pity they're so expensive, but I've already decided to invest in a second pair anyway.

You want research papers??

http://www.backtowork.co.uk/mbt/html/research.html

Oh – very good for the calves too.

For gullible ****monkeys only.

The Masai posture is based on going barefoot, so why on earth fall for this marketing guff?

Personally I can't comment as I have never tried them, but the few people I know that have (inc the Mrs) swear by them.
"It's a shoe, nowt else" really? you've never tried them have you?

If you're thinking of giving them a go but the price tag is putting you off do what a mate of mine did and go looking on ebay.

The amount the Mrs complains walking up a hill in them when she would beat me to the top in normal shoes says they make you work.

"It's a shoe, nowt else" really? you've never tried them have you.

I'm not a zookeeper, but I know what an elephant looks like.

"I'm not a zookeeper, but I know what an elephant looks like."

Can't answer the question in your witty responce then eh?

Um, ok then….

No, I haven't tried them.

I am aware of the design premise though; that the Masai walk on 'yielding surfaces'…

What, all of the stuff that they walk on is yielding is it?

..and, as noted above, if the Masai manage to avoid the problems that the shoe claims to solve by walking barefoot, why do you need to pay £100 to acheive the same results?

…and isn't it rather more likely that the those problems that the shoe claims to fix are more to do with a sedentary lifestyle, with work that involves sitting down all day, with driving to and from places that we could walk to, and just by being generally soft western folk?

I've not tried working as a Masai Herdsman in that Africa either, but I bet that they don't all ask Father Christmas for a pair of MBT shoes…

I'll do you a deal; pay me £30 and I'll hide all your shoes.

… and there we go. Was it so hard to answer a simple question without being rude?
As for "For gullible ****monkeys only." bet you've not tried them either have you?

The idea behind the shoe is that is mimics walking on a soft surface thereby forcing you to adopt a better posture while you walk. What it also does by mimicking walking on a soft surface (like sand) is make you put more effort into just walking normally.

I’ve not got them myself as I can’t justify the expense but if you have the cash (or do some crafty eBay shopping) then, based on the opinion of people who have actually tried them, I’m sure you would be convinced.

I wasn't being rude, just pointing out the inanity of the 'you haven't tried it so you can't possibly have an opinion on it' line.

Again, I remain totally unconvinced that wearing a pair of wobbly shoes does anything other than make you good at walking in wobbly shoes.

The reason the Masai seem to escape the minor mechanical problems that beset fat westerners is nothing to do with footwear; it's to do with with spending lives working in a (by western standards…) under developed agricultural economic system, and developing physically to cope with it, because they have no alternative.

To use this as a way to sell essentially disposable shoes to the most economically privileged societies in the world strikes me as a triumph of marketing, and as a f**king shame.

So in answering the original posters question “anyone use these and what do you think of them?”
Hitman has by the sound of thing seen a benefit and was presumably given the outlay he’s looking for people either saying “I have some and you wouldn’t believe the difference they make” (as I have stated I know a few people with them who would offer this opinion) or “I had some for a few weeks and they were of no benefit so they went on eBay”
So again, by having no personal experience, how can you answer the question?
Marketing hype? Maybe.
Crying shame that this type of exploitation occurs? Can’t argue with that.
Want a cheap alternative? Walk everywhere barefoot on sand – oh, that might be difficult if everywhere is tarmac so get some shoes instead….

So again, by having no personal experience, how can you answer the question?

Getting into philosophical territory here, but I feel that I have adequate experience by dint of my life so far and as a result of my education and work to comment on a physiological phenomenon.

I don't have to have experienced the shoe to be able to comment based on the available evidence.

Whether you give my comments any weight or not is a matter for you, but I feel that I am perfectly able to answer the question, grasshopper.

Well…
I've got two pairs- Been wearing them over a year- recommended to me by an orthopaedic nurse – quiet a few of them wore them on the ward and swear by them for '12 hours on feet relief'.

I broke an ankle and they have helped me: – kind of jelly wobble board physio whilst you walk. They have helped me strengthen my ankle, but I'm sure no more than regimented physio. They are an aid to improving posture and offer a very low impact stride but they can used/worn incorrectly.

I bought them 50% off in sales. If they ever give up the ghost I would consider paying full price – they are wearing very well – better than any equally expensive leather shoe I have owned.

They do look Jey – Oh and small children can push you over like a drunk weeble.

I use them, they have helped greatly w/back problems. The only downsides are that they don't last that long if the shock gets wet (although you can get resoled), they are quite heavy, and they are not the most stylish (to say the least). The cost of MBT's has saved a lot in trips to the phiso, so cost (for me) is not an issue (in fact, thinking about it, they have saved me a lot of money). I do find I fall over more easily if i'm boozy in the pub. I wouldn't want to speak for everyone, but they have been very worthwile.

The marketing might be BS, but if something works well for you, what's the problem?

They look a bit 'special'.

One of the chaps in my office wears them – he reckons that it has increased the attention he receives from homosexual men enormously, but also that it has done wonders for his muscle tone and dodgy back.

My wife wears them, which often means she almost falls over on trains as they accelerate.

[pedant]

Masai is actually spelt Maasai = Fail…

[/pedant]

Special Shoes 😯

Get a couple of pairs of Superfeet insoles and MTFU.

Quite aside from how ugly they look – they're addressing a symptom, not a cause. And you can learn good posture without those minging boats on your feet.

(and yes, i have tried them at the London marathon expo a few years ago)

So – in summary……

Those with any experience in wearing them think they're a good idea and would buy again.

Those with no experience think they're rubbish.

Tell you what, if you're all still wearing them in 5 years time, ie, they're not just this seasons ethnically inspired fashion arse, I'll buy you a pint.

Money where mouth is and all that.

I love my vivo barefoot shoes. These go the opposite way, i.e. they have no arch support or cushioning, so they feel much like walking barefoot. They don't look quite so "special" <snigger> as the MBTs

Crikey – I've had mine for around 4 years. If you think they're "new" then you've obviously been hiding in a cupboard.

Vibram Five's are the closest you will get to 'barefoot shoes'.

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com

My girlfriend has just been recommended to wear them by her highly qualified & I would expect very well informed orthopedic consultant surgeon, following an operation to remove a bone from her foot.
We're expecting that the change of pressure points on the foot will relieve some of the pain she has to put up with now.
The apparently induced instability might help force her foot/ankle/leg to improve her static balance which is a little lacking now too.

They styling for the women's models is horrendous – luckily the blokes ones are much more passable…

Sorry dave_r, but you're absolutely wrong on this one as that consultant is just a quack doctor and you should be listening to the very-well informed crikey of this parish.

i'm more a fan of aboriginal aborignies bare foot technology…. seen the size of their feet?

those vibram things are digusting.

Yeah, your right druidh, my phisio was wrong too. Desipte having worked for David Coulthart, England rugby team, LUFC, Steve Redgrave, Daley Thompson, Linford Christie amd having 25 years experience in Biomechanics, he mistakenly suggested MBT's to help my back problems. What an idiot he is….funny thing is though, my back has actually got a lot better since I started to use them and I have not been to see a physio since.

Still, better throw them in the bin…the last 3 years have just been "this seasons ethnically inspired fashion arse".

Barefoot philosophy has much merit, but I feel not the MBT (unless you already have a problem to correct I guess). I wear a pair of Feelmax http://www.feelmax.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=45&Itemid=107&lang=en
shoes in the office. Lovely to wear, makes me smile every time I walk about, orgasmic, (OK..not quite), but well recommended and extremely light and comfy. They are intended for walking and running. I am a little afraid of wearing the (very thin) soles out so have not used them much outside yet.

…and small children can push you over like a drunk weeble.

You shouldn't have told me that. Really.

Surely BBT is more appropriate for typical biomechanical problems in this geographical local. Or perhaps EBT, SBT and WBT if you want regional specific technology.

mountaincarrot, where did you buy those from? Anywhere in the UK?
EDIT: Doh! didn't see you could get them through website 🙂

Cheers for the replies everyone. I've decided not to get a pair of MBTs as I've read of quite a few horror stories of injuries which may have been caused by them. However, I must say when I tried them on, the only way to stand was in a more upright posture.

As it happens, about 2 weeks after getting hers, my GF fell over, smacked her head & twisted her ankle coz she was on uneven ground & kinda rocked/wobbled about on the MBTs! 😀

Well, I laughed at least….. 😉

She's getting on well with them, reduced pressure under the ball of her foot is the main benefit for her, as that's where she's had a bone removed.

The Masai posture is based on going barefoot,

Nope, the Masai posture is based on going barefoot on soft ground like sand and grass