As I cannot wear a flat shoes for extended periods of time... Compresses the back...this style by New Balance seems to be ok, as it has a slight wedge.  It is nice to have sommething other than locker room white and coal black  but ..This particular version looks like it escaped from Shoe O Rama... and should cost ten bucks.  Adequate for my needs to knock around in, but other NB shoes look more like they were worth the price visually.