It Started With My Mother's Knees

I watched my mother's world get smaller every year.

First, she stopped going upstairs. Then she stopped gardening. Then she stopped coming to family gatherings because "the walking is too much."

By 60, she was a prisoner in her own home—not because of age, but because of her knees.

Her doctor said: "Mrs. Chen, this is osteoarthritis. You can manage it with medication, or we can schedule a replacement."

She chose medication. It helped for a while. Then it didn't. The pain came back. The limitations got worse.

And I watched her stop being herself.

The Question That Launched OReliev

One night, she told me: "I just want to play with my grandchildren. That's all. Just get on the floor and play with them."

Such a simple wish. Impossible for her body.

I started researching. Heat therapy? Proven effective. Vibration massage? Clinically validated. Physical therapy protocols? Clear benefits.

But every solution required appointments, prescriptions, or staying plugged into a wall outlet.

My mother needed something she could use consistently, at home, on her schedule—not when a therapist was available or when she could sit still for an hour tethered to a plug.

So I built it.

What Started as One Solution Became a Mission

The first prototype was clunky. Too heavy. Too hot. Uncomfortable straps.

But my mother used it anyway. And within two weeks, she was sleeping better. Within a month, she was climbing stairs again.

Within three months, she was on the floor playing blocks with her grandson.

That's when I realized: if this could help her, it could help millions of others living the same shrinking existence.

OReliev Today

We've sold over 350,000 units. We've read thousands of stories like my mother's.

Grandparents playing with grandchildren again. Workers keeping their jobs. People canceling surgery consultations. Couples taking walks together after years apart.

This isn't just business. This is personal.

Every OReliev massager is built to the same standard I demanded for my mother: premium materials, real therapeutic power, designed for daily life.

Because somewhere, someone's mother is struggling with stairs. Someone's father is sleeping on the couch. Someone's spouse is missing their old life.

They deserve better. You deserve better.

Livio Van Damme, Founder

OReliev

P.S. My mother is 68 now. She still uses her OReliev twice a day. And yes, she still plays with her grandchildren.