Gaining Insight

Read: Feature in The Times

Chongsu knew loosening stiff joints in the back was the key to solving pain for many of his patients. It worked so well for a sore back, headaches, sciatica, tennis, golfer’s elbow, tight hamstrings, calf, Achilles Tendinitis, and almost any kind of pain you can think of. Then he expanded on the technique and started working with individuals living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson’s Disease (PD).

The Idea

During a meeting with some old friends, Chongsu told them about his manual treatment problems. Kerry, Chongsu's mentor, said that the only way to treat people well without hurting yourself was for a machine to do the work.

Chongsu Lee: "That was an EPIPHANY moment for me. After all, I trained as an engineer. Why not make a machine that replicated what I was doing? My patients could get all the benefits without my thumbs falling off. The device doesn't get tired. As a result, the treatment would be consistent. On top of that, the machine could have as many fingers as I wanted it to."

Prototyping

The first device didn't come together quickly; it took much time.

Chongsu Lee: "I bought springs, bolts, nuts, and a piece of wood. Then, reactivating my engineering brain, I started working. At the time, I was optimistic. I thought it would take me a couple of months. It took two years and a lot of money and energy before I finally produced my first working product. I was proud. I was sure it would impress the world. "

First Version

The first workable device was a big milestone, but there was still a lot of work to be done to get it market-ready.

Chongsu Lee: "Some people bought it, and it gave them some benefits (including some of my old physio patients living with MS). But it wasn’t good enough. Not nearly. To be brutally honest, it was only 10-20% as good as what I believed it needed to be."

Second and Third Versions

We have had many people trying out the v2 and v2.5 devices. Some had it in their homes for over a year. Others have tried it at one of our events or office. Each person has an opinion of, what they do and doesn't like about BackHug, and we take note of it to improve the next version. The wealth of positive testimonials has given us a strong sense of assurance, affirming that BackHug is truly making a difference.

Making a Difference

Many of our first users are those living with MS (Multiple Sclerosis). That has led to us forming a close relationship with MS-UK. We did company-wide fundraisers for the charity, ensuring that each iteration of the device continues to help those in chronic pain. After all, that is why we invented BackHug: to change the lives of those whose everyday lives have been affected by pain.

Sharing The Insights

Chongsu Lee: "I learned a lot while building and developing BackHug, and I wanted to share some tips, tricks and secrets for getting rid of back pain etc. Especially the importance of de-stiffening joints, the primary methodology behind BackHug. It's the only way to get to the root of your aches and pains at the source of the pain, not just address the symptoms."

BackHug is Born

Chongsu Lee: "I will spare you the details, tweaks, frustrations, illuminations, and adaptations that went into that journey. We must have made over 2,000 changes to the product I first developed. But, in 2023, eight years after the initial idea came up in 2015 over my lunch with Kerry, BackHug was born. Finally, we completed the development of a product that works and does what it should do - more than I ever could with my thumbs."