My mother ruined her feet wearing the wrong shoes for decades. When she was a senior this all came home to roost as she was advised that she needed extensive foot surgery which would take most of the day at our renowned University Hospitals. I stayed there all day while the orthopedic-plastic surgeon fixed her feet. He insisted on operating on both feet because he said the surgery and recovery were so painful that patients did not come back for the second foot operation if he only did one. My mother went through months of a terribly painful recovery. She still does not wear great shoes but she has been in flats ever since. After witnessing this, however, I was resolved that I would not follow in her footsteps (pun intended), especially since I had recently had to see an orthopedic surgeon about problems with my own feet and ankles. I researched shoes online and found that European professionals, especially those who spent long hours on their feet, swore by their Dansko shoes. I ordered a pair, this pair in fact, and was totally converted to the brand overnight. I have since bought other Dansko shoes, sandals for summer, Mary Jane Danskos for walking and biking, etc., They are all fabulous. These shoes are years old at this point and show no sign of breaking down. I am convinced I will break down before my Danskos will. I have none of the family foot problems. I achieved significant savings when I began purchasing these by auction on ebay, at least half off of the retail price.