Disruptive new medical device to launch following specialist manufacturing support – The Manufacturer

Unveiled to coincide with the opening ceremony of the Medical System Manufacturing Centre, primarily based at Heriot-Watt College, the Novabow gadget is designed to stop and deal with sporting accidents and a variety of foot problems and illness.  

Analysis carried out lately has revealed the very important position performed by the intrinsic foot muscle mass, demonstrating their position in working accidents, circumstances regarding diabetes together with neuropathy (foot numbness) and ulcers, alongside extra frequent but painful complaints like bunions.  

A practising dentist from Glasgow is now set to remodel foot well being with an easy-to-use foot train gadget which builds foot muscle power. Working with specialist designers and advisers from the Medical System Manufacturing Centre, Gerry Farrell will launch the gadget this summer time.

Novabow’s disruptive new medical gadget, designed to construct power within the muscle mass of the ft. Credit score: Jomarg Innovation Ltd

Gerry Farrell, Managing Director of Jomarg Innovation Ltd and inventor of the Novabow foot train gadget, explains:  “In recent times, our understanding of the very important position that intrinsic foot muscle mass play has grown exponentially. Trendy footwear weakens the ft so most of us lack the power we’d like for proper steadiness and train. This could contribute to a spread of toe deformities, ache, and damage.  

“One of the primary causes folks cease enjoying a sport or having fun with train is due to ache. Most of the foot workouts accessible concentrate on the flawed muscle mass or don’t adequately or simply attain the intrinsic muscle mass. As an novice athlete, I wished to forestall sporting accidents and the outcomes of our pilot research at Napier and Stirling Universities have been extraordinarily constructive. We’ve additionally examined the gadget long-term with Olympic hammer thrower Chris Bennett who was set to have surgical procedure earlier than resolving his knee and again points utilizing the Novabow gadget. He now makes use of it day by day.

“The assist supplied by the MDMC has been invaluable in growing the gadget for market. As a dentist making an attempt to launch a singular train system with clear medical advantages, I’ve encountered many challenges. The MDMC group at Heriot-Watt College helped me with detailed CAD drawings and supplied an introduction to precisely the correct of specialist plastic producer, one thing I wouldn’t have discovered with out their assist. The power is invaluable for SMEs working within the complicated medical gadget market.” 

Considerably, these residing with diabetes are at a very excessive danger of difficult foot circumstances together with neuropathy which results in extreme numbness within the ft. A diabetic with this situation is 20 occasions extra prone to fall than somebody with out diabetes. This considerably will increase the chance of damage, significantly as a person will get older Foot and ankle train applications have considerably improved and even reversed neuropathy.

A second challenge for those living with diabetes is ulceration which, in some cases, can lead to infection and eventual amputation. Research shows that ulcer recurrence is dramatically reduced using foot and ankle exercise from 72% down to just 16% with this type of exercise.