Dr. Von Homer was inspired to start the footwear technology firm, HX Innovations, when he suffered a life-threatening injury during his footballing days at McDaniel College. Although he was recognized as a promising star, the hyperextension leg injury he picked up while playing, ended his career in the sport.
A hyperextension leg injury occurs when an individual’s knee is bent backward beyond an abnormal degree, making it difficult to walk. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it may require surgery to correct the anomaly in severe cases.
Though Homer almost lost his leg, the former athlete’s injury began to heal after a series of surgeries. He however couldn’t walk for several months. When he fully recovered, he wanted to be back on the field, because his college scholarship depended on it.
His coaches, however, declined his request, fearing the worst if they offered him a place on the team. During that period, he came to the realization that many athletes did not know whether they were pushing the limits of what pressure their bodies could handle on the field.
This triggered his interest to learn more about human movement and its correlation with the brain. He went on to study for a master’s in human movement and biomechanics, and later got a Ph.D. in neuroscience, according to technical.ly.
Literature on biomechanics in the past, generally focused on joint movement among humans, however, when Homer delved deeper into the subject, he discovered there was more to human movement. He established that there were some movements in the brain that allowed bones to take action.
As he studied the topic further, he developed models and theories to explain how certain movements could cause neuromuscular injury. He named this approach the Homer Technique.
He piloted the models on his colleagues at Barry University and received an impressive outcome. He later took it a step further when he assessed what tests went into footwear before they are worn by athletes and other individuals.
He found gaps in the testing that could lead to neuromuscular injury when the footwear is worn. This gave birth to his startup, HX Innovations, which he founded with his wife, Nicole Homer.
The company uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision technology to make deductions on footwear performance. The novelty of the startup’s techniques enabled it to raise almost a million dollars in grants and awards to keep it thriving.
What matters most to Homer, however, is helping coaches and trainers to assist their players to avoid injuries, and how to improve their performance, according to horn entrepreneurship.
The company has helped over 350,000 athletes in the improvement of their performance since its inception. This is mainly due to the partnership the company has with over 30 basketball, soccer, volleyball, and other related disciplines operating in Delaware. Over the years, HX Innovations has become an authority in footwear endurance and power performance assessments for sportsmen.
