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About NEWGAIT

Our Mission

Our mission is to promote recovery, increase mobility, improve quality of life, and restore hope to those with movement limitations through our innovative products.

Our Story

Our first product, The SpeedMaker, was conceptualized in 2014 by Benga Adeeko, a licensed professional engineer and former track & field standout. While spending time as a youth track & field coach, he sought out a way to help athletes train more effectively. He then began developing a device that would target the muscle groups most responsible for sprint performance, without compromising running form. After months of development, he presented the first SpeedMaker prototype to Jordan Strofaci, a fellow coach and speed trainer who instantly loved the idea. It was at that point in which Benga knew he was onto something. The NewGait was birthed in 2016 when Kim Spranger, a physical therapist, saw the SpeedMaker, and thought to use the apparatus to rehabilitate a young woman that had a devastating spinal cord injury. She was told that she would never walk again, but today, she can be found chasing cows on her dairy farm or competing in 5k races. The video of her recovery can be seen here. Our team has since entirely shifted efforts to restoring hope, and putting the care back in healthcare.

Our Team

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Benga Adeeko, PE

Benga founded the company as a sports performance equipment company. As a former Division 1 college sprinter, USA Track & Field Level 1 certified coach, Youth Track & Field coach, and professionally licensed mechanical engineer, he had the passion and know-how to develop the SpeedMaker, a training device for sprinters to increase strength and power in the hip extensors. After seeing the impact it was having in the rehabilitation space he pivoted the company with a vision to have a bigger impact on peoples’ lives.

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Lynn Vanwelsenaers, CP, COF

Lynn's passion is providing people with the opportunity to live life to the fullest. She has done this for 28 years as a Certified Prosthetist and Certified Orthotic Fitter. She received her Bachelors of Science in Biology from Michigan Tech. while concurrently working on a degree in Electro-mechanical Engineering. She then earned her Certificate in Prosthetics from the University of Minnesota Medical School. Her education, work, and life experiences, including deployment overseas as a Health Services Technician in the Coast Guard Reserve, have enriched her passion for healthcare and creating new ways to optimize the function and use of the NewGait.

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Cathy Ruprecht, PT

Cathy graduated with her Master of Science Degree in Physical Therapy from Grand Valley State University in Michigan. After having worked in a variety of therapy settings for 20 years, Cathy discovered a passion for helping people with Chronic Pain. She enjoys educating patients about their bodies, and how to connect mind and body together in ways most of us never consider. Cathy is using the NewGait daily with a variety of patient conditions after discovering how helpful the device can be.

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Kim Spranger, PT

Since earning her Masters degree in both Exercise Physiology and Physical Therapy, Kim has been practicing PT with Marquette General Hospital in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for 26 years. She has experience working in various settings; acute inpatient, rehab, outpatient orthopedics, lymphedema clinic, industrial rehab, home health, and administration. Kim's love for new challenges and thinking outside of the box, along with her passion for serving people and a deep faith in the Lord, have all played a role in her discovery of the NewGait.