Image: Maridav/Shutterstock
Hamstring Solo gets a boost to continue global ambition for hamstring injury prevention and athlete performance.
The south-east Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN) syndicate has invested €300,000 in Kilkenny company ND Sports Performance’s Hamstring Solo, a cloud platform for hamstring injury prevention.
The funding will lead to the creation of up to 10 new jobs as well as sales and marketing to fuel the Hamstring Solo expansion into the UK, Europe and the US.
‘Hamstrings are one of the most frequently injured muscle groups in all levels of sport, from amateur to professional’
– NOEL DOHERTY
In 2012, a hamstring injury prevented Noel Doherty from winning a third intermediate hurling All-Ireland with Kilkenny. Using his background in design and engineering, Doherty developed the Hamstring Solo Proexercise aid, which enables athletes to train effectively by safely performing a range of high-tension exercises that improve hamstring performance and resilience.
Some of the top teams and universities in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US are currently using the Hamstring Solo devices. These include: European rugby champions Saracens RFC, Leicester Tigers, English premier league clubs such as West Bromwich Albion FC, a host of All-Ireland champion GAA teams, and the recent League and FAI Cup winners Cork City FC.
Not only this, but ND Sports Performance is the official hamstring assessment system suppliers to the English Institute of Sport (EIS), the largest sporting organisation in the UK, on an exclusive basis.
How Hamstring Solo works
Sensors on the Hamstring Solo Elite device collate data that is stored on a cloud-based platform.
A multifunctional app provides instantaneous, user-friendly and readily exportable feedback, which allows medical staff to manage rehab, evaluate training effectiveness, monitor fatigue, set goals and identify athletes at risk of injury. The device also collects information over multiple sessions to build athlete profiles.
“The HBAN-backed SEBAN [south-east syndicate] investment will enable us to grow the business and capitalise on the interest in the Hamstring Solo Pro and Elite products in export markets like the UK and the US,” said Doherty.
“Not only will the funding allow us to employ more people, but we also get the benefit of our investors’ experience and knowledge.
“Hamstrings are one of the most frequently injured muscle groups in all levels of sport, from amateur to professional. These injuries can be extremely costly to clubs and organisations – not just financially, but also in terms of lost game and training time.
“Previous hamstring injury increases vulnerability to future injury, consequently reducing long-term career potential. Historically, hamstring resilience and rehabilitation was limited by a lack of practical assessment and monitoring tools; however, the Hamstring Solo range ensures that this is no longer the case,” said Doherty.
SEBAN recently announced plans to invest €10m in start-ups from the region over the next three years.
“Hamstring Solo is a great example of the type of company that HBAN identified as a high-potential start-up that went on to successfully present to HBAN angels,” said Aidan Shine, HBAN coordinator for the south-east region.
