For all joggers, runners and walkers among you TennisTraveller , I have a really great tip: the LAUFMAUS, a small tool with which you can support and improve your fitness training. Because running or walking is so important for us tennis players to get or maintain basic endurance. In this article you will find out exactly what LAUFMAUS is, how it can help you, how it came about and who the company is behind it. Here's a report from me, because after all, you have to test things yourself before recommending them!
And as you are used to from us, we are giving away a total of three LAUFMAUS sets until July 10, 2022 . You might even become a gerbil on the court!
Interview with Martin Rutemöller • Experience report
The LAUFMAUS is an ergonomically shaped, ultra-light grip element. Five years of development work resulted in this new running product, which for the first time focuses on the importance of the hands and, thanks to its special design, optimizes the running and gait pattern. With the LAUFMAUS, the body is noticeably straightened when walking and running and the position of the upper body from the head to the shoulders to the spine is optimized so that walkers and runners can run healthier, more efficiently and more relaxed. The result: less joint strain, better breathing and stability of the entire body.
The mechanism of action is based on two principles. The complex shape of the LAUFMAUS puts the hands in a kind of forward position . The thumb points forward, the index finger is stretched and the back of the hand is turned slightly outwards. This change in the hand-finger-thumb position affects the entire musculoskeletal system. By turning the back of the hand outwards, the forearms also rotate. This ensures that the membrane between the ulna and radius (a natural constriction in the body) opens. With the opening, relaxation occurs in the forearm, which results in the functional chain forearm-upper-arm-shoulder-neck relaxing, stretching and straightening the entire body. This opens up further anatomical constrictions. Nerves, blood vessels and lymphatics can work better and the entire cardiovascular system is relieved. The chest has more freedom of movement, which enables deeper breathing. Body tension, body control and body control improve visibly and noticeably.
The straightening of the upper body by the LAUFMAU® ensures that the body's center of gravity shifts more centrally and thus the distribution of force is more homogeneous across the entire sole of the foot. The use of the arms is directed forward more effectively and in a more straight line. This reduces unnecessary body rotation in the longitudinal axis. Joint loads on the hip, knee and ankle joints decrease. The stored energy from muscles and tendons is released better. Running stability and economy increase. The LAUFMAU® ensures that the open hand, which is important for running, can be maintained without tiring, even on longer runs.
Then there is an additional sensorimotor effect . Our palms have a particularly high sensory density. This is known from acupressure. The effect is already known from sensorimotor insoles. Many tennis players also play with such insoles. And why shouldn't the sensorimotor effect also be achieved by hand? After all, the hand is three times more connected to the brain than the feet. The sensorimotor effect stimulates the insula in the brain. This is the area responsible for motivation, happiness and power. Natural doping at your fingertips, so to speak.
Neurologists have long been aware of the significant influence of the palms of the hands on the human nervous system. It is the sensory qualities of the skin and connective tissue with their over 17,000 sensory elements that have the maximum effect on the body. These specific reflex zones are also called maximum points or “points of entry”, which are used in Chinese medicine to activate and influence life and organ energies. This is exactly what the design of the LAUFMAUS aims to achieve. If you have it in your hand, contact is created along the life line and to the extraordinary meridian acupuncture points located there. The RUNNING MOUSE stimulates the insula via the median nerve, which runs through the palm of the hand, thumb and index finger. This is the area of the brain that is responsible for experience, inner well-being, body tension and ultimately motivation and performance. The result is an improvement in overall vitality and performance as well as loose, elastic mobility and optimized general motor skills.
This anatomical mode of action has already been partially scientifically proven. A study led by orthopedist Professor Dr. med. Stefan Sesselmann at the East Bavarian Technical University of Amberg Weiden has extensively examined the LAUFMAUS and its effectiveness over the past few months. What is the optimal arm position when running? How can we influence them positively? What use is a handle element like the LAUFMAUS? A topic that has so far been neglected in science. As part of the LAUFMAUS research, Sesselmann's study clarified the possible effects of hand and arm posture on the entire organism. Its scientists demonstrated that hand and arm posture is actually significantly improved by the LAUFMAUS. “The fact that it would immediately become so clear exceeded my expectations,” emphasizes Sesselmann.
It's actually quite simple: the best therapy for musculoskeletal problems is exercise, i.e. walking and running. The economy of movement is particularly important. It is important to minimize strain on the musculoskeletal system in order to reduce overuse. Movements such as walking and running are regulating movements (regulatory mechanisms) that bring the body back into balance.
Basically, the LAUFMAUS can be used for basic and endurance training in almost all sports, including tennis, of course. Whether long distance, shorter tempo runs or interval training - tennis players can also use the LAUFMAUS to work on their running technique and their external and internal posture whenever they do not have the racket in their hand. Furthermore, during the time of racket-free training, the LAUFMAUS can help to develop and hone skills such as perception, orientation, stability, quick action and decision-making, mental strength and the ability to concentrate.
It usually takes up to six sessions for the musculoskeletal system to adapt to the new movement with the LAUFMAUS. There is no exact number because every person is different. However, the LAUFMAUS should be used continuously with every walk or every running session in order to achieve the optimal effect. Due to the neuroplasticity of the brain, there is no ready adaptation and internalization of the newly triggered movement patterns and stimuli on the body. We are all constantly on the way to a better optimum. We would like to refer you again to our explanatory videos on how to correctly position the LAUFMAUS, how to move with the LAUFMAUS and additional exercises. It can also sometimes be helpful to change the size of the RUNNING MOUSE to feel a change.
European champion Jan Fitschen explains how to use the LAUFMAUS:
Behind the product is the personal story of the sports doctor and osteopath Dr. med. Horst student from Münster. In 2007, on the way to a home visit, a truck drove into his car without braking. The spinal cord of the cervical spine was massively damaged. Chronic pain and restricted mobility were the order of the day for years; surgery and rehabilitation only brought slight improvement. But giving up was not an option. In order to promote the regeneration of his musculoskeletal system and overall health, the doctor discovered that optimal arm and hand posture leads to improvements . “At some point I thought about putting my arms and hands in a relief position that reduced the cramps,” remembers the now 70-year-old. The student tinkered around in his garage, experimenting with prototypes made of clay - until, after a few years of development work, he developed an element that finally allowed him to walk completely pain-free again - and is now on the market as LAUFMAUS.
You can find the video about the creation here: https://youtu.be/EsN5NEUtueM
The LAUFMAUS team includes Dr. Student managing director Martin Rutemöller as well as the shareholders Oliver Baumgartel and Thomas Pieper. The team is supplemented by four employees responsible for sales, marketing and press, back office, accounting and office. The LAUFMAUS is produced and marketed on a small farm in Emsdetten, with test tracks right in front of the office door.
One of the biggest hurdles was certainly product development and the patent process.
Two exciting and exciting highlights of our young company history were certainly our two appearances in “The Lions’ Den”. Anyone who works in the startup sector knows the show. According to our information, around 1,000 companies apply per season. Of course, we also thought about throwing our LAUFMAUS into the ring. In our case, however, we didn't take the first step; instead, the broadcaster contacted us. “The Lion’s Den” is also constantly looking for innovative products – and that’s when they came across us. So it was love at first sight. Nevertheless, we went through the application process like any other applicant. At the beginning we could never have dreamed that we would end up going home with two investors and that we would also be one of the few start-ups to receive a so-called recap, i.e. a second contribution.
First of all, we want to conquer the German-speaking area and make the topic of running economy, which can be significantly influenced by your hands, known. We would like to further develop the LAUFMAUS and are thinking about additional products such as gloves. An internationalization of LAUFMAUS is also conceivable. Why shouldn't people in the USA and other countries be open to running lighter and healthier? The LAUFMAUS principle is certainly also effective in the rehabilitation sector. Here we have ideas for further products based on the LAUFMAUS principle. A matter of the heart would be involvement in children's or school sports so that children experience a natural movement pattern as early as possible. A children's RUNNING MOUSE is therefore one of our next projects. At the same time, we are currently working on setting up a LAUFMAUS academy. Through this we want to bring our philosophy closer to running coaches and trainers and create exercise and movement units together with experts and users.
Writing about things is one thing. But we are the type of writers who prefer to try out what we write ourselves and have our own experiences with it. Although these are of course subjective, they are certainly interesting and valuable for some of you. I myself run between 8-10 kilometers 2-3 times a week, mostly in the forest on soft but sometimes uneven terrain. I've been having some hip and lower back problems for a few months now, which are usually worse after running. Therefore, I am and was very excited to see how and whether LAUFMAUS can help me.
My very personal conclusion: I will continue to run diligently with the LAUFMAUS in the future and I can very well imagine that my hip problems can actually improve thanks to the overall straighter alignment of my arms, legs and feet. But it will definitely take several more weeks - I have to and will give myself the time. Because I've had the symptoms for a long time. In any case, it is a walking aid that, in my opinion, makes perfect sense and is good!
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