Those weird-looking shoes with rocker-like soles popping up everywhere aren't a fashion statement. Companies that sell them say they aid weight loss, tone muscles and relieve stress on the knees and hips. Short-term data show wearing the shoes makes some muscles work harder, but so far there's no rigorous evidence that they speed weight loss.
如今不断涌现的奇形怪状的圆弧底鞋子可不是为了彰显时尚，销售商们声称，这些鞋子可以帮助减肥、强健肌肉、舒缓膝盖和臀部的压力。短期研究数据显示，穿这类鞋子的确可以加强某些肌肉的活动强度，不过到目前尚无有力证据证明它们可以促进减肥。
Unlike traditional athletic shoes that are built to be stable, rocker-sole shoes are deliberately unstable. The effect, companies that make the shoes say, is similar to using a wobble board or balance board in a gym. To stand or walk in these shoes, you must engage more muscles than you do using regular shoes, the companies say. Manufacturers recommend you wear them during your normal activities, starting with short periods until you get used to them.
传统的运动鞋是要让人站立平稳，而这种圆弧底鞋子则是刻意要让人站立不稳。生产商称，其效果类似于健身房的摇板和平衡板。他们说，穿着这种鞋子站立或走路时，会带动更多的肌肉运动起来。厂商建议你可以在日常活动中穿着圆弧底鞋，开始的时候穿的时间短一些，有一个逐步适应的过程。
Podiatrist John Pagliano, a clinical instructor at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine, says the studies on the shoes so far are 'not rigorous enough' to convince him of any benefits. Logically, the shoes seem like a good idea for people standing much of the day, he says, but he recommends they be used with caution for running or other heavy sports activities.
足病医生约翰·帕格里亚诺(John Pagliano)在加州大学尔湾分校医学院(University of California Irvine School of Medicine)教授临床医学，他说，目前有关此类鞋子的研究证据“还不够确凿”，不足以让他信服这些功效。他说，逻辑上来说，对于那些站立过多的人来说这似乎是个不错的选择，不过他建议在从事跑步或其他运动量大的体育活动时穿这个鞋子一定要谨慎。
