8.75m people in the UK have sought treatment for osteoarthritis*
A young entrepreneur from Glasgow has redesigned the traditional kneepad to launch a product aimed at tradespeople which reduces pressure on the knee by 76%.
Vicky Hamilton, 25, a product design engineering graduate from the University of Strathclyde, originally developed Recoil Kneepads as part of her final year project. She was inspired to help her dad, Gordon Hamilton, 48 who suffers from osteoarthritis, which he believes has been caused by his lifelong career as a joiner.
The multi-award winning design sandwiches springs between two layers acting as a shock absorbing and pressure reduction system. Pressure is reduced across the entire knee joint rather than focusing on one small area. The double layer system pivots so the user can kneel from side to side without the kneepad slipping away and the strap rests on the shin rather than the back of the knee, improving comfort.
The product is aimed at construction workers with the annual rate of musculoskeletal injuries in the construction sector statistically significantly higher (approx. 2%) than all other industries (1.3%), according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Vicky said: “The idea for Recoil came about one evening when I was listening to my dad complain about his sore knees at the dinner table. None of the kneepads he had tried were helping and it suddenly clicked that I could create something that would improve life for him and other tradespeople.
“A huge amount of research has gone into the development of Recoil Kneepads over the last four years to create a product that outperforms those already available on the market.”
The kneepads have been put through their paces at the University of Strathclyde laboratories, with tests finding they decrease pressure by 76%, making them more effective at reducing pain than the major competitor brands. The nearest competitor reduces pressure by 60.7%.
Vicky’s dad, Gordon, said: “I am extremely proud of what Vicky has achieved. She has certainly found a solution to a problem myself and many others in the trade suffer from. I find Recoil Kneepads extremely comfortable and they make prolonged kneeling a lot more bearable. I never thought my complaining would have resulted in such a fantastic product!”
Vicky added: “I want Recoil to have a positive impact within the UK business community. We manufacture the kneepads in the UK in Edinburgh, and I plan to invest in job creation over the next year. I’m also very interested in connecting with potential stockists over the next few months.”
Aside from managing the day-to-day running of the business, Vicky delivers talks to budding entrepreneurs across the country, encouraging them to take the leap and start their own business or consider a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), within which a significant gender gap still exists. She has also travelled to promote the product internationally, recently returning from her second year exhibiting at The National Hardware Show in Las Vegas.
Product information:
Price: £39.99 incl. VAT (introductory offer)
Dimensions: 26cm x 14cm x 13cm
Weight: 445g
Available at: www.recoilkneepads.com
Worldwide shipment available