Kumovate — Our Story
The Kumo was created in a teenager’s basement — although not in the industrious, Steve Jobs way you might be thinking.
Saddled with a devastating leg injury, Kumovate Founder and President Eric Muellejans developed the first Kumo injury-elevation device in the confines of his bedroom, as a 16-year-old unable to walk, climb stairs or leave the house.
“I was living in my basement for the entire summer of 2012,” said Muellejans. “So socially, it wasn’t great.”
As a teen, Muellejans was a standout athlete, first as a competitive figure skater, then as captain of his high school football team in Strathroy, Ont.
“I really got into football and did really well in my Grade 10 year, and I applied for a competitive summer football team, the London Junior Mustangs,” said Muellejans.
Yet Muellejans would only make it to his second game of the season with his new team.
“In my second game, the starter was injured and I was like “Alright, my time to shine’,” he said. “First play of the game, I ran my route and I remember I just got hit, ended up on the ground and my ankle felt really numb. I turned over and my foot had done a full 180° break.”
Muellejans suffered a complete tibia-fibula fracture, requiring two metal plates and nine screws to repair, and a minimum six-month recovery time.
When he did brave the outside world, the injury required a litany of painkillers, ice and pillows to prop the surgically-repaired limb on.
“I’d have to find some ledge or chair or coffee table to elevate my foot on, and then somebody bumps it by accident and my foot falls off, that kind of thing,” he said. “Sleeping was a struggle too — people move in their sleep and there’s nothing more awakening than your broken foot falling off its perch and slamming against a bed frame.”
Without that elevation, Muellejans said he remembers his leg swelling to a painful extent.
“Inflammation was always a concern for me. While the first hour of being out of the house was fine, any time after that, my ankle would swell to the point that my foot couldn’t fit in my shoe,” said Mullejans.
“The inability to leave, go out with friends, be with family or even going to class as a student, was frustrating,” he said. “I physically could not do it because by being out there I had nothing to elevate my foot on all the time.”
“Obviously I had a lot of time to myself and thought, there has to be a better way.”
And so, the Kumo — an inflatable, adjustable and portable injury-elevation device, was born — although it would take several years before Muellejans would have a prototype in-hand.
Fast-forward to 2018 and Muellejans, now a business student at Ryerson University in Toronto, has made the Kumo a reality.
“It wasn’t until recently that I realized there is still such a huge demand for this — there’s no product as customizable and portable, the way that I designed my device,” said Muellejans.
An inflatable, portable and adjustable elevation device, the Kumo is designed with side supports to secure a patient’s leg and prevent re-injury from sudden movements while allowing them to leave the confines of home.
Cut from medical-grade plastics, the Kumo is durable, easy to clean and able to fit in a backpack when deflated.
“The idea is that it’s something that can get you elevated wherever you want, whenever you want, at whatever height you want,” said Muellejans.
“You shouldn’t be limited by your injury. This gives you a degree of freedom again.”
Kumovate’s Kickstarter launches on June 20 — support the project here and keep up to date on Facebook and LinkedIn.
