Two Spokane-area health care professionals have developed the first of what they expect to be a suite of pain-relief products. 

The product, called MyoBoard, is a portable, self-massage tool for relieving tension in various muscle groups. 

James “Bo” Tucker, owner of Chiropractic Wellness Center Inc., and Jake Baumann, owner of Clinical Exercise LLC, have created the self-massage device through a new corporation, Myofascial Release Tools LLC, which they established to develop products that help patients improve their myofascial health.

 “When we launched the corporation in April, our goal wasn’t just to be a successful business, but to provide people with a needed service for the right price,” says Tucker. “This is a product they can use regularly at home, or as temporary relief until there’s time to visit their regular professional.” 

Tucker says the corporation hopes to develop relationships with local health care clinics, as well as with business people who travel a lot.   

“We’re working on additional improvements based on customer feedback, possible attachments to help target certain areas,” he says. 

The MyoBoard is about 14 inches long, and 10.5 inches wide, slightly larger than a piece of paper. It features built-in divots in an M shape, that hold two balls the user is able to move to target different areas. The balls, called Myo-balls, are about the size of a billiard cue ball and made of phenolic resin. The board’s design allows for a bilateral, or two-sided use, for symmetric treatment that pinpoints consistent pressure to the user’s affected areas.  

The MyoBoard sells for $74.95, and includes the board, balls, towel, and instruction manual. It’s available through online order, or through the Chiropractic Wellness Center. So far the corporation has sold over 200 of them. 

Tucker says he and Baumann to date have invested over $50,000 into the MyoBoard’s research, development, patent, and manufacture. 

He says the corporation’s next goals include creating other innovative tools for massage, adapting them for use in hospitals and clinics, and possibly creating a franchise. 

“We’d really like to be able to develop more tools, and actually have a vibration percussion tool called the Myoregulator, with a patent in progress,” says Tucker.

 “We’re also continuing to develop relationships with health care professionals, because we want these products to be available for providers’ use in clinic settings too. Our final goal would be to create a franchise for some of our clinical protocols, but that would take some time yet,” he says.

Tucker says the product’s end user is the public, with health providers acting as a resource for distribution. 

“Our ultimate goal is to put this tool in the hands of people who need it. Health providers have access to many patients each day who could benefit from these products, so gets the product into the hands of the people who need it that much faster,” he says.  

The two entrepreneurs’ current practices, Chiropractic Wellness Center and Clinical Exercise, share space at 618 N. Sullivan in Spokane Valley, and  Chiropractic Wellness has two other employees, massage therapist Jeff Kruse and office manager Tammy Kamp. Baumann co-treats patients with Tucker, the two having aligned their practices to treat patients as efficiently as possible. 

“Our office is kind of a one-stop-shop, in that we work together on some of the same patients, who happen to have multiple needs falling under massage, chiropractic, therapy, exercise, or nutritional care,” says Tucker.

He has been a chiropractor since 1996. He attended Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, where he obtained an associate’s degree in business, followed by Palmer College Chiropractic West, San Jose where he earned his doctorate degree in chiropractic. He and his family moved to the Spokane Valley in 1997, where he opened Chiropractic Wellness Center in 2002. 

Jake Baumann founded Clinical Exercise in July 2014. Having started his career in 1998, Baumann has 18 years of experience working in the corrective exercise and health fitness industry, and is certified as a corrective exercise specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, NASM. 

 “Myofascial refers to muscle band pain,” says Tucker. “All muscles are encircled in a thin tissue called miofasia, which is usually elastic and stretchy like a sleeve, allowing muscles to glide. When a patient gets a knot in that muscle, it puts tension on the tissue.” 

With the MyoBoard, patients can move the balls into the target slots, then lie back onto the board, putting direct pressure onto those muscles, decreasing tension and lengthening the muscles again. 

Users also are able to customize the board, applying a folded towel or blanket over the Myo-balls for less intense pressure. 

The balls are made of a slick material that allows for easy movement over their surface, preventing clothing or added cushioning from bunching and causing disruption of treatment or discomfort. 

 “It’s very versatile,” says Tucker. “It allows you to give yourself a deep tissue massage anywhere, be it at home, on business or travel.” 

Made from molded plastic, Myofascial Relief Tools contracts with Spokane-based molding company H&H Molds Inc. to make the MyoBoards.

“We tried several different styles, but this final one is the lightest, most transportable version,” says Tucker.

The board comes with a handle at the top, a user-friendly guide etched into its front, and even a rubber apron to attach the balls for easy transport. 

The partners are planning an event kickoff to launch the product March 10, at Better Body Fitness, a commercial fitness equipment supplier located at 165 S. Pine.