New Accessible Sneakers for People with Disabilities

Looking for a good restaurant close by? Take a look on Yelp and see what others have to say. Want to catch the latest movie? Hit the Flixster app on your smart phone and see what both critics and the general public have to say. With consumer-focused apps for almost every possible service, product or need, the marketplace is quickly becoming more responsible to consumer opinions and needs, and this is good news for people with disabilities.

The most recent example comes from Nike, which has just introduced some very cool accessible new sneakers that were requested by teenager Matthew Walzer from Florida who has cerebral palsy. In 2012, he posted an open letter to Nike, which said, in part:

“At 16 years old, I am able to completely dress myself, but my parents still have to tie my shoes. As a teenager who is striving to become totally self-sufficient, I find this extremely frustrating, and at times, embarrassing,” Walzer wrote. “My dream is to go to the college of my choice without having to worry about someone coming to tie my shoes everyday.”

As reported in Disability Scoop, Walzer’s request was spread far and wide on Twitter, under the hashtag #NikeLetter, and then the shoe blog, Nice Kicks took notice, and posted a video that attracted more than 10,000 views. All of this social media buzz paid off, and Nike agreed to take on this project. They worked with Walzer for over three years testing prototypes and the end result is that Nike is now rolling out an “easy-entry footwear system.”

Rather than rely on laces, the new approach uses a wrap-around zipper system to secure the shoe. What’s more, a larger opening at the back makes it easier to slide the foot in and out. Limited quantities of this new shoe, called the LeBron Soldier 8 FLYEASE will soon be available on Nike.com.

The high price tag on the shoes may prevent many people with physical disabilities from actually purchasing them, but if they sell well, I am sure there will be other, cheaper, knock-off versions. I hope that other companies in other sectors will learn from Nike’s example and start listening more to their customers with disabilities and “just do it.”