CES 2024: Evolve MVMT wearable wants to save your feet

NelsonG · January 10

Close up of Evolve MVMT wearable on a man's ankle

UPDATE: Jan. 10, 2024, 5:18 p.m. EST This story has been updated to reflect that Evolve MVMT is now available to buy.

Wearables that track your steps are nothing new, but what about a wearable that tracks how you step?

At CES 2024, Evolve MVMT unveiled an ankle wearable that tracks the quality of your steps, and helps you improve your gait over time. Claiming to be the first of its kind, Evolve MVMT uses proprietary tracking technology to analyze heel strike – the act of landing hard on your heels – which is hard on your joints and can lead to certain injuries.

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As someone with flat feet, this is something I'm painfully aware of, and I'm not the only one. According to 2017 study, almost 27 percent of people have fallen arches or flat fleet. Whether it's walking on hard surfaces all the time, or wearing shock-absorbing sneakers, we've evolved to be bad at walking. Basically, many of us are guilty of heel striking, and even though walking is one of the most basic activities humans do, a lot of us are doing it wrong. Evolve MVMT uses a technique developed by founder and physiotherapist Luke Pickett called "light walking" to minimize heel striking and make walking more efficient.

Wearables on your ankles? Why not. Credit: Evolve MVMT

Evolve MVMT works by doing a walking test to measure your baseline. From there, the app will give you live guidance on how to improve your steps. The idea is that over time, practicing "light walking" will activate the right muscles, and make walking more beneficial. In studies conducted at the Cleveland Clinic and Monash University, patients reportedly burned 36 percent more calories when using the Evolve MVMT technique.

Track the quality of your steps through the app. Credit: Evolve MVMT

If decreasing stress on your joints, improving your posture, and burning more calories sounds good to you, Evolve MVMT is available now. That said, improving your gait doesn't come cheap — the device and accessories costs $499. But if you've ever had to pay for expensive orthotics or special footwear, which have to be replaced every few years, this might be a solid alternative.