WASHINGTON — Most people don’t think of what an athletic feat it is to lace-up a pair of sneakers.
Matthew Walzer, who has cerebral palsy, thought about it every day his parents had to help him put his Nikes on.
So, in 2012 he wrote a letter to Nike, asking for more accessible footwear.
“I am able to completely dress myself, but my parents still have to tie my shoes,” he wrote.
Now, a new line of Nike basketball sneakers, designed to be more accessible to people with disabilities, is set to go on sale.
The Lebron Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease can be put on and taken off with one hand, by avoiding laces, which are difficult to maneuver for people with movement disorders, stroke victims, and amputees.
Flyease has a zipper that extends around the back of the shoe, allowing its user to peel it open with one hand, and slide a foot in, Mashable reports.
“It feels great to have this shoe made for everyone and to be the catalyst for such a great project,” the 19-year-old told Mashable. “I couldn’t be more proud that people will be able to have this long, overdue independence,” Walzer said.
Nike’s senior director of athlete innovation, Tobie Hatfield, communicated often with Walzer to begin designing prototypes for an accessible sneaker.
“I worked with Matthew just as I would with any athlete,” said Hatfield.
Walzer is now a sophomore at Florida Gulf Coast University.
The Flyease model goes on sale Thursday.
Watch Nike’s video on the inspiration behind its newest sneaker.
