Birks offer good foot support for the arch, heel and otehrs. SO while the arch is lower, in combination with the rest of the layout it works to put the tendons in good postion with realtion to everything else.

Also, because the surface is made of matrixed cork, it gives and conforms to your foot, so that in a wekk it gets much more comfy, and more so with more time. Yet it is sturdy enough that it will not sink and ooze like other surfaces do with time.

Dont let the fad of wearing birks turn you off them. THey are in fact German orthopedic shoes, and I have some german friends that are amazed that birks are so popluar. Its like Dr. Schols beocmeing a status stymbol to them, I guess.

Birks are a great investment if you cant afford custom orthotics. But most people fi9nd them feeling really wierd the first week, because most folks arent used to support in the places birks support. But in a couple of weeks you will prbably see a big difference if the way your feet feel. I noticed a difference in less than a week.

-sherri