You really never know where the inspiration for the next big idea might come from.
For Thunder Bay’s Jay Caldwell, a shoulder injury and subsequent operation to repair a torn labrum and damaged bicep tendon acted as a catalyst for his ultimate light bulb moment.
“After the required operation the surgeon, nurse, physio and occupational therapists gave me the same warning, ‘don’t move your arm’, ‘only touch the air’ for the next 8 weeks”, shared Caldwell. “I left the hospital in a DonJoy immobilizer sling. Eight days post-surgery I had my stitches removed and was given clearance to shower and bathe. I started looking for a sling that I could wear in the shower...there was nothing out there. So necessity being the mother of all inventions, I started out with an exercise band looped around my arm and neck. Now I could wash with my free hand and did not have to concentrate on protecting my arm and shoulder. This worked, but it was not secure enough. I work with my hands and am a very active person. I wanted this recovery to end in having full use of my shoulder”, said Caldwell.
After working with a few designs and ideas, Caldwell settled on a monolithic sling made of nylon/neoprene and thus the “Wetsling” was born.
“Once the sling has been set to your required length, it is easily put on with your free hand. The relief that you experience as a result of having your injured arm securely supported is difficult to describe if you haven’t experienced that level of vulnerability. I can say that the Wetsling provides the security and safety your arm and shoulder require when showering or bathing.
I had a great recovery and now sport full pain free use of my repaired shoulder”, said Caldwell.
During the creative process, Caldwell relied on the expertise of his surgeon Dr. Tracy Wilson (Big Thunder Orthopaedic) and the endless help of his occupational therapist Matt Shaw (Hand & Upper Limb Clinic).
Born in Fort Frances, Caldwell’s day job is the Maintenance & Manufacturing Manager at Thunder Bay Aviation Limited. As an aviation bug, his desire for tinkering and making things gave him the aptitude to invent this unique product.
“I worked with the NWO Innovation Centre for ideas and help to learn about how to start this up. We incorporated Wetsling Design & Fabrication Limited in 2015 and produced the Wetsling right here in Thunder Bay with full trademark registration. Thunder Bay has been a very good sales ground, I am learning and searching on how to market the Wetsling outside of the area and our product is now available on our website at wetsling.com” says Caldwell.
How big can this idea get? Caldwell enthusiastically sees huge potential. “It’s the first of its kind, and with so many people with shoulder injuries/operations that can benefit from the Wetsling, the market potential is infinite”.
