The first Gravity Defyer shoe was designed to help a teen walk without pain. After Alexander Elnekaveh's 14-year-old nephew had a cancerous growth taken out of his heel, he was told he had little chance of ever walking comfortably again. Undeterred by this diagnosis, Alexander took it upon himself to build a shoe that would relieve his nephew's pain, and after years of research and development, he and his team created the VeroShock sole. Based on the way an airplane's wheels help it land smoothly without requiring trips to the airplane chiropractor, this sole is designed to absorb a large amount of shock in order to protect the body and keep wearers' muscles and joints comfortable through every activity. The shoes look like any other fashion shoe—they come in a variety of men's and women's styles including sandals, boots, and dress shoes—but feature a patented shock-absorbing heel that relieves discomfort in every step.