Our Story
For nearly 100 years, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) has been treated the same way: your doctor diagnoses you after a 15 minute examination and advises that you refrain from any hand activities likely leading to CTS (is that even possible?), wear a wrist splint (that’ll last a few days at most...), get a steroid injection (needles!), and, as a last resort, undergo carpal tunnel release surgery (cut what now inside me?!).
When founder, Dr Jae Son, was afflicted by carpal tunnel syndrome, he tried all sorts of non-invasive products to treat his CTS. After trying out many other conservative treatments on the market without success, he drew upon his mechanical engineering background to develop the elegant solution behind Wrist-Aid MD. If the median nerve is compressed in carpal tunnel syndrome, why not decompress it?
Under an NIH SBIR Phase II grant, we investigated multiple materials, adhesives, shapes, and user experiences to continually improve the comfort and performance of the Wrist-Aid MD device. The research plan was composed with the scientific input of leading biomechanics and carpal tunnel syndrome researcher, Dr. Zong-Ming Li; the practical medical perspectives from prominent physiatrist, Dr. Frank J. King; the biotech regulatory know-how from pharma and CRO executive, Matt Dickason; and the clinical research operational guidance by biomedical researcher Pauline Luong. Confirmatory biomechanical studies were conducted at Dr. Li's lab at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Li and Dr. King both served as principal investigators in our multi-site, randomized clinical trial.
Our clinical research team, before presenting our grant research results at AAPM&R 2017, in San Diego, CA. From left to right: Dr. Jae Son, Dr. Zong-Ming Li, Pauline Luong, Matt Dickason, and Dr. Frank King.
Wrist-Aid MD can be likened to a nasal decongestion strip and its physiological basis to spinal traction/decompression therapy, but applied to the wrist. By expanding the tunnel surrounding the nerve and decompressing the nerve, Wrist-Aid MD allows the nerve to move freely and heal.
Through 5 years of research and development, our team has produced an optimized product for sufferers of carpal tunnel syndrome who wish there was some treatment out there that does not involve drugs, surgery, or embarrassing and restrictive wrist braces:
Wrist-Aid MD, an elegant orthotic that is applied to the wrist to actively decompress the median nerve, providing relief for your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms any time and place, discreetly.
Our Team
Dr. Jae Son, PhD
Founder, Inventor
Dr. Son is the innovator and founder of Wrist-Aid MD and has served as technical lead for the scientific direction of the development of Wrist-Aid MD.
Pauline Luong, M.Eng
Product Manager
Ms. Luong is a Biomedical Engineer with experience in tissue engineering polymer research, product development, and clinical trials operations & management. She has managed the clinical trials and research progress of Wrist-Aid MD.
Dr. Frank King, MD
Board Member, Medical Counsel
Dr. King is a co-founder of Mission Pain and Spine Institute and a board-certified specialist in Pain Medicine and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation with over 20 years of experience.