The Ortmo Story

It all started with our grandfather

While we officially launched Ortmo in 2022, the real story began about ten years ago back in Sweden. We spent our childhood watching our grandfather, Erik, work 10-hour days without a single complaint. He was the kind of man who defined himself by his hard work and his ability to provide.

But eventually, the years on his feet caught up to him. My brother Lukas and I (Johan) watched him go from an active, vibrant man to someone who was forced into early retirement because the pain in his feet became unbearable. Seeing him stuck at home, losing his spark because he could no longer move comfortably, was incredibly hard for us to watch. It felt like the pain hadn't just affected his feet, it had taken away his independence.

Searching for an answer

We didn't want to just accept that this was "part of getting old." We started looking for ways to help people like Erik, the ones who work long shifts: the nurses, the builders, the people who keep the world moving.

Our search eventually took us all the way to Japan. We traveled there because we’d heard about their advanced approach to wellness and technology. It was there that Lukas and I first came across magnetic therapy. Seeing how magnetic insoles could actually change the way someone feels after a long day was a massive turning point for us. We knew we had found the solution we’d been looking for

Building Ortmo

We brought that technology back, combined it with the clean, functional design we grew up with in Sweden, and founded Ortmo. We didn't want to just make another "insert"; we wanted to build gear that actually protects people.

Since then, we’ve been lucky enough to help thousands of people:

  • Nurses and Doctors who are on their feet for 12 hours straight.

  • Engineers and Construction workers dealing with concrete floors all day.

  • Athletes and anyone else who refuses to let foot pain slow them down.

Full circle

The best part of this whole journey, though, is personal. Today, Erik is back on his feet. He’s found his energy again and is enjoying his retirement the way he deserves to—pain-free.

We are so grateful for the inspiration he gave us that when we opened our newest facility in the UK, there was only one choice for the name. We officially called it The Erik Warehouse in his honor.

At Ortmo, we don’t just sell footcare. We’re here to give you your freedom back, so you can work, move, and live without being held back by pain.

— Johan & Lukas, Founders of Ortmo