In 2018, with the help of biomedical engineers, three former professional athletes and a French physician developed a patented device (2019) for the safe therapeutic use of BFR training, which combines physical exercise and tissue oxygenation control. This method, developed in Japan in the 1960s, makes it possible to optimize physical exercise by stimulating the muscles and hormonal response to similar levels to intensive exercise, even though the muscle exercise is low intensity (around 7 minutes). This strongly reduces stress on the joints and the risk of pain and injury.
After two years of R&D and thanks to a fundraising campaign, the three friends started production and marketing to sports clubs and health professionals.
The device is currently the only one that combines BFR and analysis of the patient’s physiological characteristics (heart rate, muscle mass, and individual minimum occlusion pressure not to be exceeded), for safe and individualized use in patients from high-level athletes to the elderly.
The technology makes it possible to regulate the pressure to be exerted on the limb via the armbands in real time, so as to adapt to the movement and contraction of the muscles, and the physiological development of the user is analyzed and taken into account continuously.
Prior to operations, this minimizes muscle atrophy. After an operation or during rehabilitation, it intensifies stimulation of the body to accelerate recovery.
“MAD-UP pro is also indicated for seniors, as it helps to combat sarcopenia (age-related muscle wasting) without joint stress or fatigue,” adds Delis Ahou, co-founder of MAD-UP.
MAD-UP DOES NOT INTEND TO STOP THERE
The start-up employs 7 people in Angers (France) and manufactures its equipment in France; its clients include top sports clubs, as well as rehabilitation clinics and hospitals in France and across Europe.
A new round of fundraising is underway to continue developing the business and create a connected application to process the data recorded by the device.
The aim is to create a therapeutic GPS allowing each health professional to individualize and accelerate their therapeutic care strategy and anticipate the risk of injury in seniors.