Shoes that get you into shape?

Really?? The first I heard of shoes that supposedly get you into shape were flip flops sold at Bath and Bodyworks.  Now, there are ads all over the place for Sketcher's shape-ups. Can these shoes really get you into better shape?

I haven't done much research on the shoes, but here is my take from what I do know. It seems that the sole of the shoe is more wobbly making it harder for you to keep your foot even and balanced. Now your foot and ankle complex have to recruit more muscles to stay stabilized. The more muscles you recruit, the more calories you burn and the stronger you will be. For me, and I am sure for you, those are the positives. The thing that concerns me is that if you don't walk or stand in correct alignment (and most people don't) then you can be making your imbalance worse. I would suggest walking in the shoes for short periods of time, like for a 20 min walk. Concentrate on walking with your feet, knees and hips parallel and your stomach in tight. It's a lot to think about, but if you are wanting to "shape up" you should try to benefit from it as much as possible.