These boots are made for walking

Ulster tatler’s Laura Slade investigates the latest craze in footwear - mbt shoes - and discovers real comfort and style while doing so.








If you watched the 2008 London Marathon you could not help but notice the six Masai warriors who took part and their fantastic posture. I always felt my own posture was ‘normal’ but after watching the Masai warriors I realised my posture was poor in comparison. So when I was offered the chance to try out a pair of MBT’s (Masai Barefoot Technology) which are renowned to improve posture, I jumped at the chance.

The MBT shoe dates back to a discovery by Karl Müller who during his stay in Korea suffered from backaches and would often walk barefoot over rice fields whenever he was in pain. He found this eased his pain amazingly quickly and in an attempt to understand this extraordinary finding, he came across the secret of Masai.

The Masai are members of a group of people in eastern Africa who constantly move from place to place and are renowned for their excellent posture. They rarely experience joint pain and by going barefoot on natural ground which can be uneven, they are forced to keep their balance.

On many reviews it states that the MBT shoes have been known to improve posture, relieve pressure on joints and the back and are very good for exercising muscles, therefore I was keen to get hold of a pair.

I must admit after reading reviews about this shoe I was a little nervous about whether I would be able to get used to this ‘phenomenal’ creation. Would I find it hard to get my balance? Would my posture improve? These were some of the many questions racing through my mind.

Upon my arrival at Blackstone Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic in Moira I was warmly greeted by Kay McLorn, the Practice Principal of the clinic. Kay’s warm and professional manner instantly put me at ease and I felt in safe hands. Firstly Kay measured my feet to see what size I would need as MBT shoes have been found to be quite different in size compared to regular shoes. I decided on the Mwalk Silver MBT, a casual design as I exercise on a regular basis and felt these would fit in well with my daily routine.

Upon my first step in my new MBT shoes I found the sensation was very strange but in a good way. I could not believe my feet were in shoes! They were so comfy and springy, it felt as if I had cushions under my feet. I instantly began to relax and was excited at the thought of going out and about to really put my MBTs into action. The synthetic leather and single-layer mesh allows durable wear which can keep your feet warm in winter and cool in summer. The tongue of the shoe is padded and the collar prevents rubbing so you do not experience discomfort sometimes associated with new shoes.

However, at first I noticed my balance was not as good as it usually is. The soles of these shoes encouraged me to test my balance and there is a rocking sensation I experienced for the first few days until I found my balance. However, this was expected as the MBT makes a point of forcing its wearer to balance and straighten up whilst walking to improve posture and acts like a shock absorber to relieve pain.

The first few days in my new shoes went well. I only wore the shoes for 2 hours a day the first week as I had been advised by Kay to break myself in to this new style of shoe. I decided to be brave a week later and attempt a long distance run, something I do on a regular basis. I was gradually getting used to walking in my shoes but running was a whole new experience. I was pleasantly surprised as you can really feel your legs working, a similar sensation to running on sand but without the pain. The next day I could feel the muscles in my legs feeling tauter and more toned and knew these shoes really were working.

After a week I was beginning to get used to the balance and running in them. Even walking up stairs is a workout in itself as you can really feel it on your calf muscles and thigh muscles, these shoes are fantastic.

After wearing my MBTs for a month I am a firm believer in them. They are renowned as the world’s smallest gym and I feel this is very true. I feel my posture has improved immensely and my legs are becoming more toned. MBTs are a must for anyone that suffers body pains or aches or anyone who wishes to tone up. I really would rate these shoes 10/10 for comfort and effectiveness.

Do I think the hype surrounding these ‘phenomenal’ shoes is well deserved? Definitely! If anything there is not enough hype surrounding this genius invention.

For more information visit www.swissmasai.ie, www.blackstonephysio.co.uk or email blackstonephysio@tiscali.co.uk