How CurvLabs is using wearable technology to rethink back pain treatment
UK startup CurvLabs began with a simple question: why, after years of appointments, scans and physiotherapy, did founder Rohan Kotecha still not understand what was causing his back pain? Founder Rohan Kotecha turned his own experience with chronic back pain into a wearable that tracks spinal movement throughout the day, helping users and clinicians understand what happens between appointments. Healthtech How CurvLabs is using wearable technology to rethink back pain treatment Founder Rohan Kotecha turned his own experience with chronic back pain into a wearable that tracks spinal movement throughout the day, helping users and clinicians understand what happens between appointments.
Key Takeaways
- Cate Lawrence 2 hours ago Share Share Send email Copy link UK startup CurvLabs began with a simple question: why, after years of appointments, scans and physiotherapy, did founder Rohan Kotecha still not understand what was causing his back pain?
Diagnosed with non-specific back pain at 13, Kotecha experienced first-hand a healthcare system where specialists treated symptoms in isolation and assessments were limited to brief clinic visits.
- The NHS waiting list for treatment was around six months, so as a student he decided to pay for private physiotherapy instead.
He recalled: "The physiotherapists kept telling me that back pain is largely influenced by how you move-how you sit, stand and carry yourself throughout the day.
- " At the same time, he was building an ECG as part of a university bioengineering project.
He realised that if we could continuously measure something as complex as heart activity, surely measuring spinal movement should be possible.
- The wearable tracks your spinal movement throughout the day.
It connects to a corresponding mobile phone app via Bluetooth, which tracks and analyses range of motion, velocity and which sections of the spine are moving freely versus staying stiff.
- "Clinically, that's simply not supported by the evidence.
Founder Rohan Kotecha turned his own experience with chronic back pain into a wearable that tracks spinal movement throughout the day, helping users and clinicians understand what happens between appointments. Healthtech How CurvLabs is using wearable technology to rethink back pain treatment Founder Rohan Kotecha turned his own experience with chronic back pain into a wearable that tracks spinal movement throughout the day, helping users and clinicians understand what happens between appointments. Cate Lawrence 2 hours ago Share Share Send email Copy link UK startup CurvLabs began with a simple question: why, after years of appointments, scans and physiotherapy, did founder Rohan Kotecha still not understand what was causing his back pain?
Diagnosed with non-specific back pain at 13, Kotecha experienced first-hand a healthcare system where specialists treated symptoms in isolation and assessments were limited to brief clinic visits. Frustrated by the lack of continuous, real-world data, he set out to build a better solution. The result is Curv, a wearable spinal sensor device designed to help people better understand how their spine moves throughout everyday life.
According to Kotecha, "like many people, I spent years going between physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths. I honestly felt pretty let down by the healthcare system. " During COVID, he had a major flare-up while he was studying biomedical engineering at University College London.
For more details please read the original article at Tech.eu.
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