The American shoe company Skechers is reportedly being sued by a waitress from Ohio who claims she sustained injuries from wearing the brand’s toning shoes.
The product liability lawsuit centres on the Skechers Shape Up shoes, which are heavily endorsed by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian. The brand claims that the rounded soles of Shape Ups help to tone thighs and legs through mimicking the effect of walking on sand.
Although Skechers advises new wearers to take care when using Shape Ups for the first few times, as they can take some getting used to, one woman claims the shoes have seriously injured her.
Holly Ward, a 38-year-old waitress from Ohio, alleges that wearing Skechers Shape Ups for five months caused her severe pain and fractures in both hips. She says she eventually needed surgery and now has to attend physical therapy. She has filed a lawsuit against the company, which is likely to have professional insurance for product liability issues such as this.
A spokesperson for Skechers commented on Ms Ward’s allegations, saying:
“Since this lawsuit is brand new, we have not had an opportunity to review Ms Ward’s allegations.
Millions of people wear Shape Ups without experiencing what Ms Ward alleges.”