Most people don’t have to think about walking—they just walk. But for those of us living with foot drop, walking requires focus because we know from experience how just one distracted step can quickly manifest into a painful fall.
Foot Drop 101
Walking with foot drop involves lifting your foot high enough to avoid dragging it—kind of like maneuvering an over-packed, stubborn suitcase over a curb, with the same end goal of remaining upright and not tipping over.
Everyday life with foot drop can be incredibly challenging and exhausting—trust me, I know!
Back in my twenties, fresh out of grad school and pre bilateral leg braces, I was navigating the bustling streets of Chicago. I can’t count the number of times I ended up with skinned knees from tripping over what seemed like thin air. Nothing says “young professional” quite like having to duck into a restroom to clean up bloody knees before a meeting!
So, here’s where a new shoe brand steps in. Or, perhaps more aptly, slides in…
Cadense, according to their own description, “is a revolutionary company founded by Dr. Tyler Susko, driven by a vision to help those in need.” They claim to have created “the world’s first truly adaptive shoe.”
The brand’s signature shoe, named the Cadense Original, was designed specifically for people with various walking conditions.
On the short list of walking conditions, they say their shoes can help with – foot drop and neuropathy. Ummm, seriously? ✔️✔️
While perusing their website, I stumbled upon the line (pun intended), “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.”
What? I immediately wrote to the company and asked to try them out! I couldn’t press “send” fast enough, as I needed to see if their shoes could really help to improve the lives of those living with foot drop.
Honestly, this wasn’t so much for myself (My foot drop is mostly corrected by my bilateral AFOs), but more for my eldest child Will, who inherited CMT and foot drop from me, and for all the members of my Trend-Able community living with foot drop.
Cadense answered my email and agreed to send me a pair of shoes in exchange for me making and posting a few Instagram Reels showing me walking in their shoes and giving my testimonial. I agreed, but only on the condition that I could test the shoes for a few weeks first. If they didn’t prove helpful, I told them I would return them. We had an agreement!
To provide an accurate assessment from someone without the built-in support of leg braces, I asked Cadense if they’d be willing to send a pair to my out-of-state adult child—chutzpah, I know! They said no!
So, given their 30-day return/refund policy, I decided to purchase a pair for Will to try on my own. Will is a young professional living in St. Paul, Minnesota, who has to travel and walk a lot for his job, which involves visiting college campuses across the US. Cha-ching! Order placed!
After receiving Cadense’s signature “Original” shoes, both Will and I put them to the test. What follows are the opinions of myself, a full-time AFO wearer, and Will, my 23-year-old child who navigates his busy city life with mild to moderate foot drop and no AFOs.
Stay tuned for our honest take on whether Cadense shoes live up to the hype!
Cadense’s Shoe Sizing
Let’s first talk about Cadense’s shoe sizing.
Although my actual foot size is 7 1⁄2 or 8, I typically wear a size 8 1⁄2 wide after removing a shoe’s insoles (which can be done with Cadense’s sneakers) to accommodate my leg braces. However, Cadense doesn’t offer half sizes in their wide-width shoes, so I ordered a size 8 wide. Even after removing the insoles, they were a bit too snug, so I exchanged them for a size 9 wide—perfect fit!
When ordering for my child, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Cadense not only offers half sizes in their regular widths but also carries the elusive 5½ adult size we needed. Cha-ching! Order placed!
Our First Impressions: Style and Design
When it comes to looks, Cadense doesn’t disappoint. Both Will and I opted for the black version with its eye-catching striped sole. They could easily be mistaken for high-end non-adaptive sneaker styles like On Cloud and Hoka.
Will and I were both pleasantly surprised by how lightweight they are and how incredibly comfortable they feel on the feet.
The standout feature? The cleverly disguised Velcro closure. At first glance, these appear to be lace-up shoes, but they’re actually slip-ons. The discreet Velcro is a game-changer for those of us who struggle with laces. It’s a perfect blend of function and fashion.
What Sets The Cadense Original Sneaker A Part From Other Sneakers: The Tech
Now, let’s chat about what really makes the new Cadense brand of shoes unique.
For those of us with foot drop, we know that feeling when our foot feels like it’s made of lead, especially after a long day.
Well, Cadense’s shoes have two nylon pucks (small raised areas that glide) on the front part of the sole that are designed to help your foot glide forward when you’re too tired to lift it. Since these pucks allow your foot to glide over surfaces, they can potentially help reduce the chances of you tripping as well.
But wait, there’s more! (I feel like an infomercial host). The Cadense adaptive shoes have what’s called “variable friction” technology. This tech allows you to slide your foot forward when it’s dragging, but also gives you enough grip to stop and push off when you want to.
Basically, by putting pressure down on the front part of the shoe (which is especially necessary when going from seated to standing), the pucks retract into the sole’s foam and no longer slide – giving you a bit more stability and making each step feel smoother.
It’s an interesting feature that’s intended to adapt to your movement, even when your foot feels heavy and uncooperative. Pretty cool, right?
Are Cadense Shoes Helpful For People With Foot Drop?
Let’s dive into this from two perspectives: mine as a full-time and very active bi-lateral AFO (leg brace) wearer, and Will’s, as a busy young adult living with foot drop who does not wear AFOs.
From my AFO-wearing standpoint, I did not notice a dramatic difference in my walking or stability wearing my Cadense shoes. But here’s the thing – my AFOs are supposed to be doing the heavy lifting when it comes to managing my foot drop.
So, while I really like my Cadense shoes, wearing them wasn’t a night-and-day change for me and my mobility.
That said, I find them to be super comfortable to wear and finding cute and lightweight sneakers that slip on easily with discreet Velcro is worth the price tag. And let’s be real, most sneakers these days without any adaptive tech aren’t exactly cheap!
But here’s an unexpected bonus I discovered: As someone with two completely fused ankles, I found that I could actually slide my foot in and out while doing various exercises at the gym. This is normally impossible since my ankles don’t turn at all. Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages where I posted videos of me walking and exercising in them.
Now, for the real kicker (sorry, couldn’t resist) – My son Will, who doesn’t wear leg braces, found his Cadense shoes to be nothing short of amazing! He believes that they genuinely help with his foot drop – especially when he’s tired after having walked a lot around the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, and while traveling for his job.
So, while my AFO-wearing self might not be the best judge of the foot drop assistance, it seems like Cadense’s adaptive shoes could be a game-changer for those managing foot drop without braces. Plus, they’re stylish enough that you won’t feel like you’re wearing “special” shoes. Win-win, right?
Conclusion: Pros & Cons of Cadense’s Adaptive Shoes
Alright, perfectly imperfect friends, let’s wrap this up with a quick rundown of the “good” and the “meh” of Cadense’s Original Adaptive shoes for people with foot drop.
Pros:
- The Cadense sneaker is super stylish and looks like any other brand of high end sneakers. You wouldn’t know from looking at them that they are “adaptive”.
- The discreet Velcro closure and wide opening makes them super easy to slip on and off.
- They’re extremely comfy, lightweight and won’t weigh you down. They’re like walking on clouds… well, adaptive clouds
- Cadense sneakers are available in wide width sizes and have removable insoles
- Cadense provides customers with fabulous tutorial videos and support emails for following your purchase.
- Cadense’s clever and innovative tech may make walking easier for many people living with foot drop and other walking conditions.
Cons:
- Heads up! Will found them to be a bit noisy when he walked on non-carpeted surfaces.
- If you’re already rocking AFOs that work properly, you might not notice a huge difference in your mobility.
- You definitely need to practice wearing them on different surfaces and be mindful when going from a sitting position to standing.
- While not outrageously priced for quality sneakers that could possibly change your life, they’re definitely an investment.
The Bottom Line:
If you’re living with foot drop and feeling like you’re dragging a stubborn suitcase around, Cadense shoes might be worth checking out. They’re not miracle workers (wouldn’t that be nice?) but they’re an interesting attempt at making our daily obstacle course (aka life) a little easier to navigate. Remember, what works for one person might not work for another.
So, if you’re in the market for some new kicks that might give you a little extra help, why not give Cadense a try?
At the very least, you’ll have some stylish sneakers that are easy to slip on. And who knows? They might just help you walk a little more comfortably and confidently. And couldn’t we all use a bit more of that?
Please leave a comment below letting us know if you’ve tried Cadense Shoes and how they worked for you!
XO
Lainie
Skip to content
Hello
I have severe foot drop and wear bilateral AFOS.
Can the sneakers replace the AFOS?
Hi Hattie,
From my experience detailed in the blog post, No! But, you never know as everyone is different. Thanks, Lainie
Hi there! Thank you so much for your review and honesty. Is it possible for you to post video of your son with and without the shoe? You may have, I may have overlooked? It is hard to really understand what you are describing. Thank you. 😊
Hi Diane,
There’s a picture of Will on the blog post wearing the shoes… I need to get him to do a video walking without them. But honestly, his foot drop isn’t really noticeable. It’s more about how his feet feel ( they get really tired and drag ) after a long day. he did feel that these really helped and wears them when his feet are especially tired. they do have free shipping and a 30 30 day money back guarantee. definitely worth trying if you’re debating. I posted a video today showing me wearing them doing different exercises and showing the bottoms.
Hi Lainie! I read the whole review and checked them out. Thank you and so interesting! I will consider them for sure. Even when wearing my AFOs, I have had falls, so I’m curious how that technology would work for me. They are stylish, not orthopedic looking, which is a plus. You do the hard work so we don’t have to! Thank you! xo
Hi Friend,
They are super stylish… An artist with foot drop would especially rock them.. Do you know any? 😂. I’m curious what you think about them and if they help prevent falls from your perspective. Please report back.
I’m not sure if you remember me, but a couple of years ago, I sent you an email asking for some advice on shoes. I have MS and foot drop is an everyday occurrence for me. I used to wear a molded plastic brace (prescription) that was huge and ugly. Since then, being fed up with not being able to wear “real” shoes, I downgraded my brace to another smaller brace (aftermarket?) that would allow for the chance at wearing “real” shoes.
I first saw Cadense on facebook, and ordered them immediately. After several months they finally arrived and I couldn’t be happier! I no longer need to wear a brace at all! Me and my physical therapist are thrilled!
I have experimented with a several different things that I thought would help (since no one out there is motivated to help). I was even going to invent something myself!
Cadense is a Godsend to me! While I realize everyone’s situation is different- I absolutely love these and plan to order more!
Mary,
I do remember you! Thanks so much for continuing to follow here and read my posts. 😀 That’s absolutely awesome! I’m so happy that the Cadenza shoes are truly a game-changer for you. 🙌😀🩷 It sounds like you are their ideal customer – . Obviously everyone is different and I have no clue about the severity of other people’s foot drop, but I think they work best for those who still manage everyday outside of the house walking without the need for two AFOS.
Hello, thank you for all your great information. I have severe foot drop and need to wear both AFOs in order to walk without tripping. Will these sneakers allow me to actually lift my feet? Can I replace my AFOs with these sneakers?
Hi Dee,
Thank you for your question! The technology in the shoes basically allows a person to slide their foot when it’s tired. For example, if you were trying to step up onto a curb, the shoes would not help you to do that. But, if you were walking and wanting to avoid a small object on your path, you could slide your foot around it as opposed to lifting your entire foot. Does this make sense?
I do see some people with just one AFO stating they no longer have to wear it with these shoes. But, I couldn’t wear them in place of mine.
Hi Lainie,
I appreciate your honest assessment of these shoes. I have a pair, and my honest take on them is that I can move my left foot (foot drop foot) great. But my right foot (strong, reliable foot) does not trust the shoe…the pucks are sometimes sliddy. I have been in conversation with the Cadense people about this issue. I suggested to them that I do not want the “pucks” on my right shoe, only on my left shoe (Make sense?) They are actually now developing a stick-on solution for this issue. I am looking forward to this improvement.
Lisa Simons
Lisa, that’s brilliant and I’m sure many people with varying foot drop like you and/or just have one foot that’s challenged, will appreciate that option. I do hope Cadense gives you some credit (like free shoes for life if they’re reading this) for inspiring their the stick-on solution 😀🩷😂.
Thank you for everything you do for the CMT community. Like you, one of my kids inherited CMT from me and doesn’t wear leg braces yet. I think She would like the style of these shoes and I’m looking forward to serving if they help. I’ll report back!
🩷 Thanks for this awesome message Lisa! I can’t wait to hear what you & your daughter think about after trying them.
I saw an ad for these on Facebook recently. Thanks so much for your feedback as I wasn’t sure if they would do anything for me or not. Like you Lainie I’m really & my AFOs allow me to walk 5+ miles every day. I always love how relatable you are btw.
Hi Lorraine,
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! 😀 That’s awesome about both being active! I’m not sure if you have CMT like I do, but truthfully, since there’s no cure, keeping your strength is the only way to slow down the progression. let me know if you end up trying the shoes and how you like them.