From the founder's desk

Why I built a company that tells you when not to buy our product

The principle that shaped ActivMend — and everything I've done as a chiropractor

Early in my years as a chiropractor, I learned something that felt counterintuitive but turned out to be the most important thing I ever did for my patients: sometimes the most honest thing you can say is, "I'm not sure I can help you — but I know someone who can." I referred people out. I sent them to physiotherapists, orthopedic surgeons, pain specialists. Many of them never came back. But I knew I was putting patients first, and that mattered more than anything else.

When I created ActivMend, I made a decision that surprised a lot of people in the industry: we would list, right on our website, the injuries we do not recommend our patches for. Arthritis. Certain chronic conditions. We are transparent about where we are not the right answer. Most companies hide those edges — the fine print, the vague disclaimers. We put ours front and center.

The result? Our return rate is five times lower than the industry average — and our return policy is actually more generous than most. When you only sell to the people you can genuinely help, they don't come back disappointed. That's not a business strategy; it's just honesty doing what honesty does.

ActivMend is, in a real sense, my third child. I want it to stand for the same things I've stood for my whole career: show people the data, tell them what you don't know, and respect them enough to let them make the decision. Every athlete who has used our patches to reduce swelling and get back on the court weeks ahead of schedule is a reminder of why we do this. And every parent who has written to me about their child's recovery — that is the reason I keep going.

The ActivMend difference isn't a feature list. It's a philosophy I've carried since my first day in practice: do right by the person in front of you, even when it costs you something. Especially then.