These shoes are designed to fit snugly and securely, which may take some getting used to, if you were previously wearing cheaper everyday brands previously, as I had been. At first they feel very firm and solid underneath your foot. They are not flexible at all, but they are not supposed to be. They are made for the purpose of preventing your foot from moving, flexing or twisting when worn, as they are worn for orthopedic purposes to begin with. They just feel different for a while. That is perfectly normal, by their very design. What I like best is that within 10 or 15 minutes, at most, I felt a great relief/reduction in pain, from my right heel. That's why I bought them. I had been skeptical of spending so much for a pair of shoes, but based on how quickly they almost completely stop the pain in such a short time wearing them, I'll be using them every day. Without them I have to lift my right heel off of the ground completely and walk almost tip toe, on my right foot. As as a 6 foot tall guy, that looks more than a little weird, but the pain was too bad to walk on my right foot at all without these shoes. I'm saving up for a second pair now, to have on hand. I'll be throwing out all of my other shoes now that I have these. Walking in any other shoes is far too painful, and I don't want to be forced to use a walker or a cane, and with these shoes I won't need any other devices to be able to walk normally, on my own. I'm a disabled vet and am presently unable to work, and these shoes are wonderful. If you have special needs due to foot pain, try them. Give yourself time to get used to them as they are different than most, but not in a bad way. They're just snug fitting and very well made. Should last a very long time.