Cart
You're only $100.00 away from Free Shipping!
Your cart is empty
Looks like you haven’t added anything yet, browse new arrivals below!
Continue ShoppingDesigned 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
Cadense Men's Show Review
These shoes have really helped my mobility and improved my confidence when walking!
Thomas Griffin
Cadense Shipping Protection
I just ordered a pair of shoes andI love them
I just ordered a pair of shoes and
I love them diagnosed with ms and have severe foot drop and since wearing them I have not tripped or limp or stumbled Thank You Cadense
Linda eppers
Original Women's Adaptive Shoe
All day walking
I’m able to walk and gain strength in my legs.
Lolita McCan
Women's All Black Adaptive Shoe
comfortable
fit well and the tie is great. just hope the Velcro does not wear out
WILLIAM MCDERMOTT
Original Men's Adaptive Shoe
Great Shoes
Love my Cadense shoes! They improve my confidence for walking, safely. For me, it would be nice if they had a finger pull on the shoe tongue as I have some issues with my hand strength.
Henry Veith
Original Men's Adaptive Shoe
An amazing improvement in my ability to navigate diverse terrains. Reduces much anxiety!
Eugene Schneller
Original Men's Adaptive Shoe
Free to walk
My husband has foot drop and was tripping and falling. Since he has been wearing the new Cadeense shoes he hasn’t tripped once or fallen. Also he doesn’t have to march anymore to walk, so his legs don’t get tired. He can walk faster now too! These shoes have been a blessing. Thank you.
Launi Paris
Original Men's Adaptive Shoe
So happy with these!
Wow! These shoes have been great to have. I wish I had gotten them sooner - it would have saved me from a lot of tripping/falling. The shoes are stylish and so comfortable! I almost hate to take them off. They offer great stability, arch support, good looks, safety, and peace of mind! AND you can use your HSA!!
Kessa
Original Women's Adaptive Shoe
Confidence reatored
These shoes are amazing. I now will head out for a walk without my walking stick. They have really boosted my confidence in walking.
Jeffery Nester
Original Men's Adaptive Shoe
Great Shoes
Thanks to Cadense I finally found a shoe that fits my needs. After having surgery I have foot drop and very weak ankle which requires ankle/foot brace. Cadense shoes enhance stability and balance which makes me feel secure with my unusual gait. Another great feature is the lace/velcro feature which enables me to easily put shoe on over my AFO. I also get many compliments on the style. I already ordered my second pair. Thank you Cadense for a product that works for foot drop issues. I’m most grateful!!
Sara Garron
Original Women's Adaptive Shoe
Game changer
They are a game changer for me. I use them for my drop foot. They are very light weight, easy to get on and off. I have 2 pairs of tennis shoes. My most resent order were the sandles in black. Very happy with them!!! Only wish they came in 1/2 sizes as well.
Kathy Reger
AERIO Women's Sandal-Slide Hybrid
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.