The shoe features highly adjustable curved pads on the sole, which are tailored specifically for the individual needs of each patient, to redistribute forces away from painful areas and thereby remove osteoarthritis pain.

After a course of using the shoe, patients have found that their muscles have been strengthened and their previous pain has disappeared – lowering the need for complex knee or hip replacements.

Following support from the free business support programme Business Ready, The Reinge Clinic is now ready to start promoting the Apos Shoe more widely and target significant growth in 2024.

Business Ready forms part of the Business Growth Warwickshire programme. It is delivered by University of Warwick Science Park on behalf of Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire’s five District and Borough Councils.

Gina said: “We are sports scientists by background, so we understand biomechanics and are often sceptical of products that claim to work miracles.

“However, after first coming across the Apos Shoe at a physiotherapy trade show, we looked into their claims and thought the mechanics of their product as well as their results were very impressive.

“Instead of masking the source of knee or hip pain with something like an insole, the shoe’s adjustable pads activate the patient’s muscles as they walk in the shoe. Over time, the muscles strengthen to the point where normal, pain-free mobility can return even without the shoes.

“We felt having Apos available at our clinic could potentially be a way of improving the outcomes of our patients while bolstering our income at the same time.”

After securing the exclusive rights to sell Apos in Coventry & Warwickshire, Gina and Ian needed to promote what they were doing, but had struggled to do so since moving to Kenilworth.

The pandemic was a significant barrier to growth as physiotherapy relies on in-person appointments for reliable treatment, and even after restrictions were lifted, growth remained stubborn.

After looking for business support programmes, Gina and Ian got in touch with Business Ready and were connected with business support adviser Steve Tipson, who set about laying the foundations to improve the business’s practices before it pushes for growth.

“Steve helped us with the many things we didn’t really understand about growing a small business to the next level,” Gina added.

“He advised us on improving our website and selling mine and Ian’s expertise as individuals, rather than simply selling physiotherapy services.

“Our website is now much more user-friendly and features an online booking system, which is something we hadn’t considered before speaking to Steve. It’s been responsible for a significant increase in bookings.

“We’ve also switched from being two sole traders to a limited company, which has prevented major accounting headaches and allowed us to streamline many areas of the business. 

“After his advice and the improvements we’ve made, we’re now ready to grow by prescribing the Apos Shoes to patients who need it, while continuing our traditional physiotherapy services.

“We’re really grateful to Steve and the programme – the fact that it was free meant we were able to access knowledge and expertise we would have no way of accessing otherwise.”

Steve will continue to support The Reinge Clinic throughout 2024 as it aims to grow its practice in Kenilworth enough for it to stand alone without the need for the Bristol premises to carry on.

He said: “Gina and Ian are highly competent physiotherapists, but lacked that extra know how or capital to take their business to the next level.

“The fact that they secured the right to prescribe the Apos Shoes exclusively in the region is a fantastic USP for them, but it was important for them to have the basics in place to truly take advantage of this.

“I’m confident Gina and Ian are now ready to take The Reinge Clinic to new heights and help many more patients potentially avoid drastic knee or hip replacement surgery.”

Cllr Martin Watson, Portfolio Holder for Economy at Warwickshire County Council, added: “It’s fantastic to see a small business thrive after receiving support from our Business Ready programme, and securing these exclusive rights is a remarkable achievement for Gina and Ian. We look forward to seeing what 2024 brings for this local business.

“I hope others in Warwickshire may be inspired to take their business to the next level with the support of Business Ready and our wider Business Growth Warwickshire Programme, which can help unleash the incredible potential for growth and success within Warwickshire’s business community.”

For more information on the Reinge Clinic and the Apos, visit www.reingeclinic.co.uk