PHOTOS: Nike Unveils New FlyEase Shoe Assisting Runners With Disabilities

Details of the new Nike shoe to assist runners with disabilities.

Nike unveiled the Pegasus 35 FlyEase on Tuesday morning and looks to assist runners with disabilities.

The shoe has been developed in part with testing and insight from Justin Gallegos, a sophomore on the University of Oregon's running club. On Monday, Gallegos, who has cerebral palsy, completed his first half-marathon in Eugene, Oregon, in two hours, three minutes and 49 seconds.

One of the features of the FlyEase line of shoes is the zipper-and-strap system, which enables wearers to "open and close the shoe in one fluid motion." This eliminates the risk that a runner would face if their laces come undone during a race. 

Courtesy: Nike

Geng Luo, Senior Researcher of Biomechanics at Nike's Sport Research Lab, and his team analyzed the kinetics of Gallegos' unique stride and gait to "learn which areas of his shoe to reinforce." Individuals with cerebral palsy often have gaits that result in a high force of impact concentrated in a small area of the forefoot, as well as an unstable balance, so the new shoe features heightened durability and cushioning in the forefoot to reduce shear as well as a stable platform to improve balance. 

Courtesy: Nike

The Nike Pegasus 35 FlyEase will be available on July 1.