These thongs are exactly what I had hoped they would be from reading the product description. The footbed is firm but not hard, and has a good heel cup as well as a high arch support. I was skeptical that I was actually pronating the foot with the heel pain, but wearing this shoe has made me realize just how much pronation was going on. I can feel the lift not only under my arch, but inside the arch, and I can also feel the difference in my knee and sacroiliac joint on the problematic side (and, by the way, I commonly wear shoes/thongs with firm arch support, but did not experience this effect with any of them). The shoe helps me to be able to stand and walk for longer, though I must still rotate from this shoe to one or two others as the day goes on to manage pain. I have only been wearing this about five days, so I hope that as I adjust to the support, I will be able to wear it for longer, and that it will be more beneficial. No miracle; my pain has not suddenly disappeared, but this thong is vey comfortable and helpful in overall management. And it doesn't look like an old lady shoe.

A word on size--when I first put it on, I was afraid I might have to send back for another size; I am a pretty reliable 8 in flipflops and the thong straps felt loose, the footbed a bit large. But as I walked around in it, I realized that the "looseness" did not make it flappy or unstable in its fit, and actuallly made the fit of the thong between the toes quite forgiving and comfortable. So I kept the 8's I had ordered, and find them a very good fit.