To anyone wearing those hideous toning shoes, some relief.

You don’t have to embarrass yourself in public anymore.

According to several studies — including a recent one, the results presented last month at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine — muscle activation and oxygen consumption were almost identical whether the women wore toning or normal walking shoes.

Meaning, those rocker-shaped soles that promise to tighten your calves, thighs and butt don’t do anything ordinary shoes would. Yes, even if they “feel” different.

I’ll admit: I’ve been tempted to spend the $100 or so to buy one of these miracle shoes and walk my way to a fitter body. But like anything that sounds too good to be true, it is.

It’s amazing, though, how companies are able to get away with what essentially is misleading (not necessarily false) advertising. On the SKECHERS website, it says its Shape-ups will “tone your muscles, promote healthy weight loss and make it easy to get in shape.”

While the claims may not be entirely true, if people — namely, women — buy these shoes and actually start walking, that’s a good thing. And I’m guessing some women have used these shoes to get back into shape — and may not have even attempted it had it not been for the convincing sales pitch.

If that’s enough to get people out there and moving, I suppose the shoes have done their job.

I’m just glad I didn’t buy into it. Otherwise, I would have an ugly pair of useless shoes.