Designed for people with Walking Difficulties
If you (or a loved one) struggle to lift your foot while swinging it forward or worry about tripping and falling, this shoe is made for you.
How it works
Unlike regular sneakers, Cadense sneakers have an innovative sole with two adaptive nylon pucks.
Raised above the sole, these pucks enable smooth gliding over obstacles.
When pressure is applied to the front of the foot, the nylon pucks retract into the soft foam, while the rubber sole allows easy stopping and toe-off.
Walk without limits
Our patented variable friction technology has been designed to work indoors and outdoors.
Use them on low-pile carpets, hardwood floors, uneven pavements, concrete, and many more.
With Cadense you will walk effortlessly on (almost) any surface.
Cadense variable friction technology explained
Low Friction – Slide & Glide
Two elevated nylon pucks on each side make up the low-friction areas of the Cadense Adaptive Shoes. They allow its wearer to easily slide over obstacles like uneven pavements.
The Rocker – Enabling Variable Friction
The highly articulated rocker features ultra-low-density foam. This allows the shoe sole to absorb the low-friction nylon pucks and activates the high-friction rubber area.
High Friction – Stop & Toe-off
The recessed middle part of the shoe sole is made out of rubber and creates an area of high friction. This allows users to stop and toe-off with ease.
Let customers speak for us
I am 76 yo man who has injuries from the Vietnamese war. And in 2010 I was diagnosed with MS. My left leg was affected and my balance. Over the years I have had many PT sessions. I have been searching for shoes that fit right and helped with my gait and balance. These shoes are the best I have ever worn, they fit well and feel great. I suggest you follow the instructions about how to get use to the shoes it works.
Since I have received my shoes there have been several events that I would have tripped or fallen, but I did not.
These shoes are magical- not stumbling or tripping because my foot doesn’t lift enough… they glide over the ground and I stay up- yay they are amazing-definitely worth a try- it could change your life and the paths you can travel
I absolutely love these shoes. For years I have avoided going anyplace that involved even the slightest bit of walking, for fear of stumbling or falling in public. Now with my new Cadense shoes I walk with confidence. I hope that they will offer new styles. I’m thinking a dressier kind of shoe that can be worn when sneakers are not appropriate.
I have neuropathy in both my feet. I have not been able to walk without intense pain for 10 years. These shoes allowed me to walk all over Scotland and Ireland during a recent trip. I had no increase in pain, still had normal pain level. I kept up with everyone on the trip. I have an 8 year old dog I have never been able to take on a walk. Now I can, it's amazing. What a blessing to get my life back. Thank you so very much.
Got mine yesterday and they are amazing. Highly recommended.
I've waited to write this review and in this time have purchased a 2nd pair of Cadense shoes. A mother of 2 with a new diagnosis of PPMS in my postpartum at my postpartum check. This year has been insane and I have struggled to physically get anywhere with a toddler and infant. These shoes are the only way I'm getting out and about. I have an AFO but move smoother in this adaptive shoe than with that on. I sometime feel concrete steps are a little tough going up but totally fine going down. That can be managed with concentration and slowing down a little. I wear my shoes out for dates, to the parks and around town. These are great on all surfaces! Don't hesitate to buy these!
Mat works great to provide security while standing. Excellent choice to purchase.
These shoes allow me to walk more confidently & comfortably. The first day I got them, I walked around the house without using my cane. I can now go outside of the house without the fear of tripping and falling. I highly recommend for anyone with walking difficulties.
These are the best shoes I have ever found for my husband with Parkinson’s. Easy to get on and he can even walk some again with these.
It’s definitely very helpful when getting up and down from a chair, but it really grabs your shoe, so if you have trouble sliding your foot normally, it will be really challenging with this!! I love it for getting up, but when it comes to sitting, maneuvering/ sliding my feet into the proper position before I actually sit, takes up extra energy. But overall, I like having this in place to stand up from a chair
I’m so pleased with these shoes. I haven’t walked this well in years. I can walk!! I
So freaking excited to feel “normal
Due to the effects of a rear end hit and run collision I’ve experienced multiple mobility and stability issues. I have greatly increased my mobility thanks to these shoes. They are fantastic and even improved my mobility with non-adaptive shoes which is an added benefit.
They are also comfortable and stylish. Highly recommended.
Been wearing my Cadence shoes for a few weeks and they have definitely helped me with my stability issues. If I may make a suggestion: put the Velcro closures on the inside of the shoes instead of the outside. Many of us (well, me) who have stability issues also have problems with flexibility. Easier to reach the inside of the foot than the outside
Easy on, Easy Off.
Using only one hand, release the velcro, slide into the shoe, and tighten the velcro to your comfort.
You will be on your way in no time.
Stunning looks, exceptional comfort.
Say goodbye to unattractive and uncomfortable functional shoes and orthopedic footwear.
Our sneakers seamlessly blend the latest fashion trends with timeless design, and feel like walking on a cloud.
Over a decade of research
Our team’s work on gait restoration began in 2011, when Dr. Susko began work on the MIT Skywalker, the first robotic system that separated gait therapy into rhythmic and discrete components.
In 2015, he took inspiration from the feasibility study of the Skywalker with disabled adults and began collaborating with Dr. Hawkes to develop the first Variable Friction Shoe. After the first Variable Friction Shoe pilot test showed improvements in speed and biomechanics for some study participants in 2019, our research team worked to refine the design, with over 30 iterations, to deliver the first commercially available Variable Friction Shoe, the Cadense Original.
Ongoing work
Our research team is continually working to improve the understanding of walking mechanics associated with the concept of variable friction.
The National Institutes of Health recently funded a four-year study to assess the impact of training with the Cadense Original shoes at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, which U.S. News and World Report has ranked as #1 for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation for the past 31 years. This study will be a collaboration between University of California Santa Barbara’s College of Engineering and Northwestern University’s School of Medicine.
Our Publications
- MIT-Skywalker: A Novel Gait Neurorehabilitation Robot for Stroke and Cerebral Palsy. See here
- Cycle variance: proposing a novel ensemble-based approach to assess the gait rhythmicity on the MIT-Skywalker. See here
- MIT-Skywalker: A novel environment for neural gait rehabilitation. See here
- Pilot Study of Cadence, a Novel Shoe for Patients with Foot Drop. See here
Meet our Research Team
Tyler Susko, PhD
Dr. Susko holds a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Mechanical Engineering. He is currently an associate professor of teaching at UC Santa Barbara.
Elliot Hawkes, PhD
Dr. Hawkes holds a PhD from Stanford University in Mechanical Engineering. He is currently an associate professor at UC Santa Barbara.
