Abstract: Provided are, among other things, shoe inserts and methods for using them to soften the abrupt change in slope exhibited in the insole of certain shoes. One such shoe insert includes: a bottom surface having a front portion, a rear portion that is angled upwardly relative to the front portion of the bottom surface at a first angle, and a central portion having a maximum mean rate of angular increase where the first angle increases at least 30° over a shortest distance measured from the front portion of the bottom surface to the rear portion of the bottom surface; and a top surface having a front edge and a rear edge, where each position from the front edge of the top surface to the rear edge of the top surface has a second rate of angular increase that is less than ½ the maximum mean rate of angular increase exhibited in the central portion of the bottom surface.