Plantar fasciitis is one of the most prevalent causes of heel pain, effecting more than 2 million people every year. From runners to those who work on their feet, it’s a common ailment with an uncommon treatment: rolling frozen water bottles underfoot. That was the only solution that 12-year-old Ehan Kamat ever saw his mother use when she suffered from foot pain. Kamat watched her struggle with freezing water bottles, hoping they wouldn’t burst overnight, and awkwardly rolling them around on the floor. He knew his mother’s doctor has recommended cold massage to get relief from her plantar fasciitis, but the process was far too complicated. He decided to create a device that would help her, and he knew it had the potential to help millions around the world suffering from many types of foot pain.
With the guidance of his father’s connections in Chinese imports, the Solemender was born, a simple device that combines two essential treatments for foot pain in one: cold and massage. Solemender was one of the first devices on the market that makes it possible to cool and stretch painful soles at the same time, without the need to fuss with frozen water bottles.
Using Solemender is simple. Just remove the metal roller and freeze it for a couple hours (or overnight for best results.) Replace the chilled roller on the non-skid base, and put the device on the floor. From there, you just move your feet comfortably back and forth over the roller from a seated position. The Solemender is designed to be used on any flat surface, and it’s small and discreet enough to use under your desk at work.
Karat’s idea has been gaining traction. Comfort Shoes and Medical West already carry the device, and have had successful sales. They’ve received dozens of testimonials from happy customers who have tried it, and Kamat is determined to bring his invention to the masses. All signs for this young business look positive, and for good reason — Kamat and his family have set him up for success.
By age 16, Kamat had entered and won 7 different contests for teen entrepreneurs. In 2015, he took home the Grand Prize at the Saint Louis University Teen Escalator Pitch Contest. In 2016, he was named one of Upstart 100’s Top 21 Inventors in the United States. In 2017, he took second prize for Baylor University’s Youth Entrepreneur of the Year award.
With the core mission to alleviate pain around the world, and even more inventions on the horizon for Kamat (including talks of a solar powered water filter), Solemender seems to be on the way to great things.
