Easy-to-use foot exercise device to treat sporting injuries and foot complications

A disruptive new system which is made to build power in the muscular tissues of the feet, together with the intrinsic muscle tissue inside of the foot, is established to start adhering to an injection of professional help from Heriot-Watt University. 

Unveiled to coincide with the opening ceremony of the Health-related System Producing Centre, based at Heriot-Watt College, the Novabow product is designed to protect against and treat sporting injuries and a broad selection of foot troubles and sickness.  

Analysis performed in current a long time has disclosed the vital part played by the intrinsic foot muscles, demonstrating their role in managing accidents, disorders relating to diabetes together with neuropathy (foot numbness) and ulcers, alongside much more frequent nevertheless distressing complaints like bunions.  

A practising dentist from Glasgow is now set to change foot well being with an uncomplicated-to-use foot exercising device which builds foot muscle power. Doing the job with professional designers and advisers from the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre at Heriot-Watt College, Gerry Farrell will start the product this summer time.

In recent many years, our understanding of the crucial function that intrinsic foot muscle tissues enjoy has grown exponentially. Modern-day footwear weakens the toes so most of us absence the power we need for correct balance and work out. This can lead to a array of toe deformities, soreness, and injury.  

A person of the major causes folks quit playing a activity or having fun with work out is for the reason that of soreness. Several of the foot routines accessible concentrate on the improper muscle mass or never sufficiently or very easily access the intrinsic muscle groups. As an amateur athlete, I preferred to avoid sporting accidents and the outcomes of our pilot scientific tests at Napier and Stirling Universities have been very beneficial. We have also examined the gadget prolonged-time period with Olympic hammer thrower Chris Bennett who was set to have surgical procedure prior to resolving his knee and back concerns employing the Novabow device. He now works by using it daily. 

The guidance delivered by the MDMC has been priceless in acquiring the gadget for industry. As a dentist trying to launch a distinctive work out procedure with apparent healthcare positive aspects, I have encountered many issues. The MDMC crew at Heriot-Watt College served me with specific CAD drawings and furnished an introduction to accurately the proper variety of expert plastic producer, some thing I wouldn’t have observed with no their enable. The facility is priceless for SMEs functioning in the complex clinical system industry.” 

Gerry Farrell, Handling Director, Jomarg Innovation Ltd and Inventor of the Novabow Foot Exercise Machine

Appreciably, those living with diabetic issues are at a particularly high danger of intricate foot ailments including neuropathy which qualified prospects to intense numbness in the ft. A diabetic with this ailment is 20 periods much more likely to slide than a person devoid of diabetic issues. This substantially improves the threat of harm, significantly as an person gets older Foot and ankle work out packages have appreciably improved and even reversed neuropathy.^[1]

A 2nd challenge for these residing with diabetes is ulceration which, in some conditions, can guide to an infection and eventual amputation. Research shows that ulcer recurrence is radically decreased working with foot and ankle exercising from 72% down to just 16% with this kind of work out.^[2]

We can see enormous probable for the Novabow system to tackle and avoid a broad range of well being problems as nicely as assistance each novice and expert sportspeople to training basic safety. As we mark the official start of the MDMC at Heriot-Watt University, we hope many extra providers like Novabow will obtain our cost-free expert health-related unit producing assistance.

The MDMC has been recognized to assist SMEs like Jomarg Innovation to resource the appropriate manufacturers for their solution, to completely utilise our £2M lab devices with professional advice and to navigate the demanding route of health-related system regulation. Our guidance is cost-free to Scottish SMEs, demonstrating our institution’s commitment to accelerating lifestyle sciences innovation in Scotland and past.”

Professor Marc Desmulliez, Manager, Medical Machine Producing Centre (MDMC), Heriot-Watt College

Commenting on the opening of the Healthcare Gadget Production Centre at Heriot-Watt University, Organization Minister Ivan McKee claimed:

“The Scottish Authorities welcomes today’s opening of the Clinical Machine Producing Centre, which we supported via our Advancing Producing Problem Fund to stimulate innovation from smaller sized enterprises.

“The Centre can support make Scotland’s health care more impressive in addressing urgent scientific desires, in line with ambitions for organization in our Countrywide System for Economic Transformation.

“The Centre is supporting smaller companies and commence-ups as they triumph over the worries of prototyping and screening although meeting stringent NHS regulatory demands. I look ahead to viewing what additional improvements arise and how these help improve health care high-quality for, likely, thousands and thousands worldwide.”

The Novabow Foot Exercise System retains patents for Europe and the Usa. It has been supported by a selection of collaborators together with the Health care Unit Manufacturing Centre centered at Heriot-Watt College, Scottish Enterprise, Napier and Stirling Universities, Interface and Business enterprise Gateway (Glasgow Metropolis Council).