Invented by a University of Strathclyde student, Recoil Kneepads are designed for use by tradespeople in sectors such as roofing, flooring, tiling, and plumbing to reduce instances of severe knee pain, arthritis, and prepatellar bursitis – more commonly known as ‘housemaid’s knee’.

After extensive testing by roofers, the company’s owner and inventor Vicky Hamilton started selling the kneepads on Amazon after going on a three-week US State Department-sponsored trade mission just before the start of the global pandemic. With support from Glasgow City Council, Recoil Kneepads identified the US as a key target market, as US construction workers are much more likely to look at ways to prevent workplace injuries or conditions early in their careers because of healthcare costs.

Recoil Kneepads has been sending regular shipments of kneepads to customers right across the US – and it has already achieved sales in all 50 states.

Hamilton is gearing up for strong growth over the next 12 months in a bid to corner the US market, as the Scottish-made $90 kneepads are more affordable than top-of-the-range American ones, which are anything up to $250.

She said: “There’s a real gap in the US market for UK tried and tested Recoil Kneepads and, thanks to Amazon, they are readily available right across the country.

“We’re excited about the growth potential, especially based on the feedback that we’re getting from American construction workers, who are very conscious of preventing injuries and conditions that develop from spending so much of their working days on their knees.

The 31 year-old came up with the idea after her father, Gordon Hamilton – a time-served carpenter who was suffering from arthritis – challenged her to design him new kneepads that were both comfortable and practical for her final-year design project as a student at the University of Strathclyde in 2013.

After graduating, it took a year of fundraising and product development (including more than 100 prototypes) to get the kneepads to a final design stage – after which it took a further year of manufacturing setup before the kneepads were finally launched in 2016.

The kneepads use RECOIL360ä Technology – for which Hamilton holds the patent – and use a coil spring system to absorb impact and spread pressure more evenly across the knee. They also feature a wear-and-grip surface, a double Recoil spring action and comfort padding.

recoilkneepads.com

The information on products and services presented on this page is supplied by third parties. Publication on HVP's website does not constitute an endorsement of the product or service by HVP.