When I walked into my local shoe store to buy shoes for the new (at the time) school year, I was delighted to see the Skechers Shape Ups. Even knowing that the shoes are priced at $100, I decided to try them on. However, I had to ask for the matching shoe behind the curtains (the manager informed me that theft is high on this shoe, so she decided not to display both shoes). Anyway, I bought the shoe and have worn it off and on for two months now.

Let me tell you how effective this shoe is--at least for a person with my particular injuries. Some 30 years ago I jumped a tennis net in showing off my athletic prowess. Fine, no problem as I had done this a dozen times. But alas, this time I landed on my left heel, crushing it half an inch. The PAIN, oh the PAIN, the worst in my life--worse than toothache, menstrual cramps, and even fibromyalgia! PAIN! I was on crutches for six months until someone told me that my doctor was a quack and I needed a cortisone shot. Got one, pain practically went away. Off and on over the years I have periodic flare-ups with swelling of the ankle and resulting pain.

A couple of years later during rehearsal for a faculty-student basketball game, one girl--in jest--grabbed my arm and whirled me around, let me go, and I fell on the side of my foot, yep--same foot, cracking a bone. I thought it was a sprain at the time. This additional injury, too, over the years has shown me what pain can be. This summer the two old injuries worked jointly to produce unbearable pain every time I stepped on that foot. It didn't help that I dug in my garden every morning for a month, using that foot although the digging didn't hurt at the time.

Long story short: After wearing the Skechers Mary Jane Footracers Sneakers for just one week, repeat, one week, my foot pain was gone. Expecting an eventual return of pain, I made an appointment with a foot specialist. First the x-rays, then his entry into that little waiting room. He announced he knew my exact problems--he did because the x-ray showed a slight twisting of that ol' jammed heel bone. He explained that treatment begins with shoe correction. Wear a high arched shoe, he advised. I laughed and told him about my new Skechers. He said that shoe was exactly what I needed. In fact, I told him, my pain is pretty much gone. Great, he said, you've become your own doctor!

There is an initial balancing situation. When I first put them on at home, I took them off after five minutes--they were beginning to cause an inner ear motion problem (I cannot ride in the back seat of cars). But after that first wear, I was fine--except for the need to practice walking in them (much like your first high heels). That took only minutes then I was good to go. Not another smidgen of that slight loopiness I initially felt. In fact, this is one of just a few shoes I am unaware of wearing. I don't think about my feet or legs. I don't think of my shoes at all--and that is an excellent thing!

Bottom line: The Skechers Shape Ups is a good shoe for multiple purposes, from aesthetics, posture, and a damaged foot! This gray and hot pink Mary Jane is not only therapeutic, but attractive, too! I love my Skechers!