Geert Kaal and René van Rijn are the founders of Fento Knee Protection, having developed Fento Knee Protectors together. In the year 2000, Rijn, a sailmaker, went to his doctor with chronic knee complaints. He was referred to Kaal, a physiotherapist who specialised in knee and back complaints.
After ten treatments, Rijn’s knee problems disappeared, but after 3 months he returned with exactly the same physical symptoms. Now they so bad that he could no longer work on his knees.
René had already bought and tested several knee protectors, but nothing helped him to prevent his knee and back problems. This was the moment he asked Geert: “Can you help me develop a knee protector with which I can continue working?” After studying the “knee position” dozens of people were put into the “form-foam” to find the right ergonomic shape. From this, several prototypes were made and tested by various “knee sitters” such as carpet layers, fitters, parquet layers, tilers and construction workers.
Their idea was to develop a knee protector where pressure is not only placed on the knee, but is also distributed on the lower leg. In addition, the protector had to be lightweight, breathable, and water-resistant. “Five years later, the first model was ready for the market,” the company says. “We rented the smallest stand at a fair in The Netherlands and after two days we were sold out. The rest is history…”
The knee protector features a wide support area for maximum stability, a hardwearing and water repellent outer layer as well as a comfortable, light weight inner layer that’s easy to clean. A replaceable inlay with breathable fabric evenly distributes pressure over the knee and lower leg, while the elastic strap which secures the protector is also replaceable and does not restrict behind the knee. Fento now has more than one million users in more than 10 countries around the world. The company’s patented design kneepad portfolio has expanded to multiple types of knee protection for various applications. The company’s R&D department is continuously working on developing the best ergonomic knee protection for all professional end-users, it says.
Customers have said: “I fit floors and, until I bought these knee pads, my knees were wrecked!”
“Been fitting floors for 36 years and have used various knee pads over the years. Without doubt Fento’s are the best I’ve used. I never have any knee ache especially if I’m fitting plank flooring or coved vinyl. They are lightweight and the straps never dig into the back of knees and they never slip down off the knee. I basically put them on and I don’t think about them until my work is done which other knee pads do not allow.”
“Perfect knee pads. As a floor fitter they are amazing! Very comfortable and they stay in place.”
www.fentokneeprotection.co.uk
