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TENEX founders set out to find relief from Hand-Arm Vibration syndrome (HAVS) for mine workers in
Australia over 30 years ago. HAVS occurs when the muscles, joints, tendons and nerves in the hands,
wrists, and arms are damaged due to regular exposure to excessive vibration. Attempts to reduce the
vibration with arm braces and compression sleeves were largely unsuccessful, so TENEX began
researching ways to reduce the duration and amplitude of vibrations at the wrist before they could do
damage at the elbow.
Studies showed that the force of each shock was strongest when the arm was fully or over-extended
and the grip was firm. In this position, extensor tendons in the hand were like strings on a guitar,
channeling vibrations from the hand through the wrist to the elbow. It looked like a device worn on the
wrist on top of the extensors might help to reduce the vibrations like a dampener on a tennis racquet.
Theories lead TENEX to postulate that a repository of liquid metal put in the path of the vibration could
divert and reduce the force of the shock.
Testing concepts included two engineering studies at universities, three medical assessments and
rigorous field tests of industrial workers, tennis players and golfers. Results consistently showed a 50%
reduction in time of vibrations and 70% reduction in amplitude when wearing the test device compared
to placebo and 10x the results of the other contemporary solutions.
TENEX went on to commercialize these results with its revolutionary Elbow Shock Absorber and over 1
million HAVS sufferers with repetitive shock elbow pain have found relief and a path to a cure.