From Injury to Innovation: The Pain-Free Underwear Revolution

It all started with a seemingly ordinary side kick, a move I had done countless times over two decades of martial arts training. But this particular morning, in the quiet solitude of my office gym, that kick triggered a sharp pain in my groin. I knew something was wrong.

Three weeks later, the diagnosis was in: an inguinal hernia. One surgery turned into three, and it took a year and a half of recovery – pelvic floor therapy, acupuncture, yoga, and a whole lifestyle shift – before I finally started to feel like myself again.

Part of my recovery involved adjusting my wardrobe. Flowy pants, skirts, and dresses were a godsend, but underwear was another story.  I tried every style I could find and always went up a size or two, but still I found they pulled in my hip crease causing pain. They all had elastic or a tight line from ‘seamless’ edges that also created a tension that pulled sideways and up. Even stretchy fabrics could be surprisingly unforgiving.

The brands out there that claim comfort failed to work for me and many others I knew who struggled.

My mom had taught me to sew as a child, and this long-forgotten hobby suddenly became my lifeline. After months of trial and error, I created a design that worked for me – underwear that was comfortable, supportive, and most importantly, pain-free.

I shared my creations with friends and then with fellow patients at my pelvic floor therapy clinic. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. It turned out that what started as a personal solution was actually addressing a common but rarely discussed problem for women.

That’s when I realized my design had the potential to help so many others. While not everyone may experience this issue, for those who do, it can be life-changing.

The purpose of our underwear is to reduce pressure at the most sensitive areas. The shape is unique-there is no triangle in the front with elastic at the bottom edges. That triangle with elastic that is stitched to a side seam causes a pull from the crotch to the side along the hip crease. There are 5 nerves running through the area most underwear will put this narrow elastic. The pressure on a 1/4 inch piece of elastic once stretched is enough to aggravate these nerves on a woman who is sensitive.

Becoming an entrepreneur was never in my plans, but life has a funny way of throwing curveballs. And now, after a challenging journey, I’m embracing this unexpected path. The thought that my creations might bring comfort and relief to other women – that’s what keeps me going through the ups and downs of getting my creation out to those who find regular underwear irritating or painful.