Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
You’ve seen the commercials for Skechers “Shape-ups” shoes, where people such as former NFL quarterback Joe Montana claim wearing the rocker-bottom shoes gets them in shape “without setting foot in a gym.” But are these shoes really all they’re cracked up to be? Not according to a federal class action lawsuit, which claims that not only does Skechers falsely advertise the health benefits of its Shape-Ups shoes, but that the shoes can actually cause injury.
Skechers claims in its advertisements that wearing Shape-Ups can result in noticeable physiological improvements, including weight loss, firmer and stronger muscles, reduced cellulite, improved circulation, and improved posture. These claims, Skechers says, are based on results shown in four clinical studies. According to the class action lawsuit, however, these claims are false.
“Shape-ups provide no health benefit to users beyond what any other ordinary sneaker provides. Worse, Shape-ups have actually injured some consumers,” the lawsuit says. “[Skechers’] false and misleading advertising campaign has allowed it to reap millions of dollars of profit at the expense of the consumers it has mislead.”
The lawsuit alleges the four clinical studies Skechers uses as evidence of Shape-ups’ health benefits are “medically, statistically and scientifically unsound,” and that they are “nothing more than marketing tools.” Studies on Shape-ups and similarly designed rocker-bottom shoes performed by objective third parties have found these types of shoes do not have the benefits that Skechers claims.
“Not only do Shape-ups not provide the benefits as claimed, they have significant drawbacks which Skechers has omitted from its advertising.” The class action lawsuit cites several doctors’ comments published in news reports that state rocker-bottom shoes such as Shape-ups can cause injuries, because they change the person’s walk or gait and are unstable for users who have flat feet or those who have pre-existing difficulties maintaining their balance. They also allegedly can cause injuries in areas that are responsible for maintaining balance, such as the hamstring or ankle.
If certified, the class action lawsuit will seek damages and refunds for consumers who purchased Shape-ups. A copy of the Skechers Shape-ups Class Action Lawsuit can be read here.
NEW DETAILS ON HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR CLAIM IN THE SKECHERS FTC AND CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SETTLEMENTS IS AT http://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/1881-skechers-toning-shoe-class-action-lawsuit-settlement
Updated May 17th, 2012
All class action and lawsuit news updates are listed in the Lawsuit News section of Top Class Actions
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
386 thoughts onSkechers Shape-Ups Class Action
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
After wearing my shapeup for the last year, I have been in pain for the last 6 months, unable to walk at times. The pain in my right foot and right hip have been some of the worst pain I have ever felt.After going to my reg. dr. i was sent to a foot dr. i went in today and was told my shapeups were to blame. after 3 shots in my foot iS A LITTLE BETTERbetter but also had to buy $125 orthodic inserts and have to come see the dr. gain in another week.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE INFORMATION ON JOINING THE LAWSUIT.
STAY AWAY FROM THE SHAPEUPS..
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
I wore my Sketchers Shape Ups for a solid year before I started having real bad hip pain. I did start out as instructed and they felt fine to me. My hip and leg pain got so bad that I could not walk without the aid of a cane. When I saw an Orthopedic surgeon he did xrays and informed me that I needed a complete hip replacement on my left side and asap, because I also had, avascular necrosis, which means that the blood supply had been cut off from the bone and the only cure for that was the hip replacement. I had the surgery on March 1st 2011 and I am now trying to re-cooperate. I do want to check into the possibility of the shoes being responsible for my injuries.
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
I have been wearing my sketchers but only for an hour at a time. Last weekend I worked a Trade Show and had them on my feet 11-12 hours each day. I walked a few miles each day around the trade show as well as stood in them. I now have extreme knee pain – it came on two days after the trade show. My knee locks and then goes out when I walk on it. I’ve never had knee pain before. I blame the sketchers
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
I started wearing Sketcher Shape-up in November of ’09 and saw immediate toning in my legs. However, within 6-8 months, I believe it was June of ’10, I had to stop wearing them due to foot pain. X-rays showed a bone spur. Soon after that, a ligament in my left foot suddenly snapped (tore) when I simply stood up to go answer the phone. Almost a year has passed since that time, and I’m still experiencing much foot pain.
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
my mother wore these shoes for 3 months, she wound up slipping and falling down, breaking her hip, and complications from this caused her death. these shoes should be outlawed
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
I wore these for 2 months while working on my feet full time. i noticed some right knee pain but I thought it was just part of “getting in shape”. Jan 2011 I woke up and could not walk even barefoot! I now have a torn meniscus, going thru therapy and I have been walking with a limp for almost 2 months. I have never had knee problems, I never fell …nothing! I know it was the Shape Up shoes. Please anyone…STAY AWAY FROM THESE SHOES! The advertising is totally false.
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
I wore these shoes for about 2 months almost constantly at work on my feet. They felt good but I started having right knee pain but I thought that was just the shoes helping me “get in shape”. I now have a torn meniscus in the right knee, in physical therapy and I have been walking with a limp for the last 2 months! I know it was the Shape Up shoes! Stupid me for falling for the false advertising!
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
:'(
I have a pair of Skechers that I just started wearing on a regular basis. I started experiencing pain in both my knees and was having difficulty walking up and down stairs. Thank goodness I hadn’t been wearing them constantly from the time I bought them. I stopped wearing them and the pain in my knees is easing up somewhat. I still will need to see a doctor to confirm I haven’t done any permanent damage.
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
:'(Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action – http://www.topclassactions.com – edit – delete – undo
I would also like to get involved in this class action lawsuit. I have worked out Monday thru Friday for the last 25 years (not wearing Sketcher Shape-ups to work out). I believe all these comments that refer to either not reading the instructions or that the injury sustained must have been coming on anyway without having worn Sketcher Shape-ups are totally wrong! I now have a torn meniscus in my left knee and I will soon be having surgery. After on week of wearing these shoes to walk in, I had severe knee pain. On Saturday I thought I was getting shin-splints and by Monday I could hardly walk
Skechers Shape-Ups Class Action
I’VE BEEN WEARING SHAPE UPS FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS.I HAVE TWO PAIRS.ANKLE PAINS STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I STARTED WEARING THESE SHAPE UPS.JUST EARLY THIS WEEK I WENT TO EXPRESS CARE FOR SEVERE ANKLE PAINS AND WAS REFERRED TO A FOOT DOCTOR WHO TOLD ME HE HAS SEEN A LOT OF INJURIES FROM SHAPE UP USE AND TOLD ME NOT USE THEM AGAIN…