Variable-friction shoe for foot drop after stroke
Official title: Characterization and clinical trial of a Variable Friction Shoe, a new paradigm of reduced-constraint locomotor therapy for people exhibiting foot drop due to stroke
Funded at University of California Santa Barbara · NIH-11168776 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A special shoe that changes its sole grip and makes a small click to help people with foot drop from stroke walk more safely and improve their walking over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Barbara NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Barbara, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $580,319 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD112475-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11168776 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with foot drop following stroke who can walk with or without assistive devices but have trouble with scuffing or tripping.
✕Less likely to help
People with very severe ankle weakness, fixed joint contractures, inability to walk safely in a clinic setting, or certain non-stroke causes of foot drop may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
You would wear a Variable Friction (VF) shoe that has a high-friction outsole during the stance phase and low friction during swing, letting you move your ankle freely while reducing tripping. The shoe also produces a brief clicking sound when a scuff happens to give gait-timed auditory feedback. Researchers will measure immediate effects on walking speed and safety and follow participants over time to see whether walking improves even when not wearing the shoe. The project compares this approach to common devices like ankle-foot orthoses and functional electrical stimulation to look for both short-term support and longer-term therapeutic gains.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the shoe could lower the risk of trips and falls and improve walking speed and independence both while worn and after training.
How similar studies have gone: Existing devices like AFOs and FES reliably help while worn but rarely produce lasting recovery, while early pilot data for the VF shoe show promising immediate and some long-term improvements.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hawkes, Elliot Wright — University of California Santa Barbara
- Study coordinator: Hawkes, Elliot Wright
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.