Aminatherapy

Manama : Amina Al Hawaj is known for being the youngest and first woman inventor in Bahrain. As a physiotherapy student, when she was only 19 years old, she was able to treat more than 100 patients suffering from osteoporosis, rheumatism, cruciate ligament injuries and muscular dystrophy with her invention.

Al Hawaj has been an innovative person since he childhood. After she began her university studies and majored in physiotherapy in Ahlia University, she was more than determined to assert her potential. She is now doing PhD in Central Lancashire University in the UK.

She has won many global awards for her inventions in physiotherapy, one of them being a golden award for the best woman inventor in the World Intellectual Property Organisation in 2011. Others include Nasser bin Hamad Youth Creativity Award for best invention, Silver Award for Best Invention from iENA Inventions International Fair in Germany 2012, Gold Medal Award from the 17th Moscow International Fair of Inventions, Gold Medal for Best Inventor in the World for 2013, Efficient Badge from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) Award for Best International Invention and Gold International Medal from the 43rd Geneva Inventions Fair and more. She is also appointed as the first Arabian to be ‘Ambassador of Invention’, from the British Inventors Society and recently received Gold Medal award from Istanbul International Inventions Fair in 2016.

What inspired Amina’s inventions

Al Hawaj has three inventions to her name. These include ALMOND, STAMINA and AMINATHERAPY, which are lower limb inventions especially useful for hip and knee joint replacements, partial or complete knee replacements, osteoporosis, joint stiffness and muscular dystrophy for diabetes patients, sports injuries such as ligament injuries and fractures, which result in the patient being unable to move their foot normally.

When asked about what pushed her to achieve such a breakthrough in the field of physiotherapy, Al Hawaj told DT News, “The ideas came to me when I was studying for my bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy. I noticed that some therapy exercises prescribed for a patient during rehabilitation - designed to move the thigh, knee or foot - did not yield effective results and most often they were not performed correctly.”

“Because of my scientific curiosity and because I was not comfortable with the traditional therapeutic methods, I gathered my thoughts and conducted a thorough study of the patients who could benefit from a movement-assisting device for the lower limbs. After about three years, during which I faced a lot of difficulties, I completed all the three inventions with the required result, effectiveness and form,” she added.

Her inventions were patented from the Bahraini Patent Office and the Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

“I did not just want to be a physiotherapist. My dream in life has been to plant a seed of hope for anyone who suffers from a handicap that hinders natural movement. My inventions are just the beginning, and I plan to spend my life in the service of humanity,” she explained.

“The university played a vital role in terms of academics. It was the source that developed my mind. If I had not absorbed the basic principles to a high degree, I would not have developed the courage to explore this innovative area. I will not forget the advice and guidance my university teachers provided because it meant a lot to me,” she added.

“After God, I am indebted to my family,” she said, “Without them, I would not have been able to overcome the difficulties that arose at different stages. There is no denying that I often felt exhausted and disappointed because I could not find specialised workshops that would embrace my inventions. But thank God, my family stood by me all along, especially my father and my husband. This allowed me to carry on in the face of obstacles and exhaustion.”

As an advice to other potential inventors like her, Al Hawaj said, “I encourage young people in Bahrain and the Arab Gulf to develop their innovative capabilities without relying on others to foster their potential. They should be confident and learn to persevere in the face of hardship so they can prove themselves and convert their energy from an idea to actual implementation.”

“I would like to remind them that the hammer shatters glass, but forges steel,” she concluded.