Nike has a new sneaker design intended for disabled people to make putting on and taking off their shoes a relatively easy task.
The release of the LeBron Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease meant that disabled individuals don't need to struggle with shoelaces or traditional zippers that can be difficult to work with.
The "wraparound zipper system" allows the wearer to put on or take off the shoes with just one hand.
The shoe design was a collaborative work between Nike's Tobie Hatfield and Matthew Walzer, a 16-year-old cerebral palsy patient from Florida.
Nike has highlighted that Walzer's story was the basis for the shoes' concept.
Walzer was born premature and suffered from cerebral palsy. In 2012, he wrote to Nike stating his difficulties, which include a challenging time tying his shoes without any assistance, as reported in The Irish Examiner.
Despite his condition, he remains to be a Nike fanatic, especially of the high-tops design, and a lover of sneakers.
However, Walzer said that he's already embarrassed to have his parents tie his shoelaces for him even at the age of 16.
While he had already worked around most of his limitations, tying shoelaces remains to be the most difficult part.
Hatfield and a team of designers for Nike worked with the teen for three years, sending him prototypes and requesting feedback over Skype, where they regularly communicated.
"I worked with Matthew just as I would with any athlete. He was an absolute pleasure to work with," said Hatfield.
Finally, the right prototype was created and Walzer was able to live college life independently.
It appears that the Flyease doesn't stop on Walzer, as news stated that Hatfield and other designers are planning to bring the shoes to "able-bodied and physically challenged" audience.
Nike has already released a limited edition of the Flyease on its website. Hatfield may have said that the design is far from perfect, but he and the designers will continue improving the design.
