One of my followers on Twitter recently asked me what are the benefits of magnetic insoles? Instead of limiting my answer to just 140 characters, I decided to answer that question here where I can cover it a little better.
What Are Magnetic Insoles?
Magnetic insoles are inserts for your shoes that contain magnets.
There have been many different companies that have made magnetic insoles in the past, and they are all different. Most of the ones that I have looked at only have a few magnetic nodes and they are spaced widely apart. They do not give your foot good magnetic coverage over the entire surface.
The Nikken magnetic insoles do provide magnetic coverage over their entire surface. Nikken was founded in 1975 when they introduced their very first product, the Magsteps magnetic insoles, so they’ve been making them for a long time. The Magsteps are still available. The magnetics in them have been improved a little since then but they are essentially the same otherwise.
A few years ago Nikken found a way to improve the magnetic field created by their magnetic nodes without having to increase the strength (gauss) of the magnet. These magnetic nodes, or DynaFlux nodes, create a magnetic field that reaches farther from the node than a regular static magnet. That means that the magnetic energy penetrates deeper into your body for a greater effect. I’ll get into the actual effects in a few minutes.
Since then, Nikken has been working to incorporate the DynaFlux magnetic nodes into more and more of their products. DynaFlux meets magnetic insoles in the form of the mSteps and mStrides. When you receive your mSteps or mStrides you will notice that they rattle a little. The magnetic nodes are embedded in a way that allows them to move so that they create a shifting magnetic field as you walk. This dynamic magnetic field further improves the benefits that you receive from the insoles.
What are the Benefits of Magnetic Insoles?
The most important, least technical answer is that they help your sore feet to feel better.
In 1975, Isamu Masuda conceived of an invention that would relax and energize millions of people who suffered from one of mankind’s most common complaints: sore feet, and the fatigue that this extends to the entire body.
Isamu Masuda was the founder of Nikken and that invention was the original Magsteps magnetic insole. I’m sure you’ve noticed that when your feet are sore or tired, your whole body feels the same way. If you can do something to help your sore feet feel better, then the rest of you feels better too. That’s the purpose, the primary benefit, of the Nikken magnetic insoles.
Talking about benefits beyond “feeling better” gets a little difficult because I run the risk of sounding like I’m making medical claims. The magnets in the insoles are static magnets and the FDA has not approved static magnets for treating any conditions in the human body. I’m also not a doctor, and I don’t want to get anywhere near their area of expertise.
You can search the internet and find many claims for what magnets can do for the body. There have been proper double-blind studies done, some using magnetic insoles. You will find many skeptics who say that it is all placebo effect, we feel better simply because we believe that we should feel better. You will also find people who use magnets on animals, especially horses. Animals are not subject to the placebo effect the way humans are. You can read all you want about that and make up your own mind.
What I can say is that magnets have been shown to help tissues relax. In the case of magnetic insoles, they help your feet to relax. And when your feet are relaxed they feel better and work better. Again, the goal for using the Nikken magnetic insoles is to help your feet feel good, and by extension your whole body feel good.
The best thing to do is try them out for yourself and see how you feel with them in your shoes. That’s what I did. I received my first pair of Magsteps almost ten years ago. I absolutely loved them. I have to tell you this about the Magsteps. There are bumps on one side and they are smooth on the other. They are intended for you to use them with the bumps against the bottom of your feet. I found that very uncomfortable at first, so I put them in my shoes with the smooth side up.
After using them for a few months I flipped them back over so that the bumps were up. I found them to be quite comfortable from then on. The purpose of the bumps is to further stimulate the bottoms of your feet, kind of like a foot massage while you walk. The mSteps have bumps too, but they are nothing like the bumps on the Magsteps.
Which Magnetic Insoles are Right for Me?
As I already mention, Nikken has three kinds of magnetic insoles right now, the Magsteps, mSteps and mStrides. The Magsteps are thin and should fit in most shoes. They have the older magnetic technology and the bumps on one side. I miss the bigger bumps with my new insoles, but I like the better magnetic coverage.
The mSteps are thin like the Magsteps and should fit comfortably in most shoes. The bumps are smaller, so there is less to adapt to when wearing them in your shoes. The big benefit to these over the Magsteps is that the magnetic technology is a lot better. These are the insoles that I have in my shoes now.
The mStrides are thicker than the Magsteps and mSteps, and provide a little more cushion to them. If you choose these insoles you want to make sure that your shoes don’t already fit tightly. They work better in soft athletic shoes that have more give to them – sneakers, tennis shoes, basketball shoes, hiking boots, etc. They might not fit comfortably in dress shoes or other shoes that typically fit snuggly. The mStrides have the same Dynaflux magnetic technology that is in the mSteps.
So there you have it. Those are the real benefits (without making medical claims) of Nikken magnetic insoles. I won’t often wear a pair of shoes without my magnetic insoles in them. If you have used them before please share your experience in a comment below. I’d love to hear what you felt.
Disclaimer and Disclosure
As I already said, I make no medical claim that the Nikken magnetic insoles will treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any condition that you have. They are not medical devices. I am an independent Nikken distributor and as such, I may earn a commission if you order them through this website. Nikken products are only available through independent distributors like me and my commission does not affect the price you pay.
Years ago, the Nikken magnetic insoles were promoted as an aid for balance issues, especially for
aging adults. I have personally found that balance is much improved with them. I’m curious why
balance improvement is no longer being touted as a benefit. I continue to recommend them to friends
who have balance issues. I’d appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks.
Hi Linda. The reason that we don’t promote the benefits that we used to talk about is because we can’t anymore. The regulations have changed to the point where saying anything other than “I use them and I like them” is viewed as a medical claim. Since we aren’t doctors we can’t do that.
Recently found my Nikken Magnetic insoles (purchased over a decade ago), that I thought were lost. Have forgotten how you use them properly. Do I replace the insoles in my shoes with them, or do I add them to the shoes insoles? If so, are the Nikken Magnetic insoles placed with the small bumps up or down and should they be placed below the shoe insole, or placed on top of it. I look forward to your response. Thank you!
Place your Nikken insoles on top of what’s already in your shoes if you have room. It sounds like you have the old MagSteps (still my favorite). Ideally you want the bumps up so that they interact with the bottom of you feet. If you find the bumps uncomfortable then flip them over (you will have to swap them to the other shoe) and walk on the smooth side. After 3 months try the bumps up again.