I invented Baxby because I knew there had to be a way to improve my posture without spending a bunch of money and without going to a physical therapist or chiropractor every week. I wanted convenience and simplicity without a lot of cost.
In 2010, I had ACL reconstruction surgery. I had always been health conscious, but rehabilitating from that surgery deepened my passion for understanding the human body. Throughout rehab, I sought out numerous doctors and therapists to help me return to a high level of sport...active release therapy, position release therapy, structural integration, re-learned to walk and run on an underwater treadmill...it's a long list that goes on and on.
I ended up meeting a chiropractor who used mirror imaging to determine chiropractic treatment. Essentially, that means taking an x-ray of the spine and neck from the front and side to see how the spine is aligned or misaligned. I assumed my posture was good, but the x-rays told a different story. I had a slight curve in my thoracic spine (upper-back), likely from an impact playing lacrosse or skiing. Some of my postural deficiencies could have been because of my ACL injury and a ~16 month recovery time.
My head was 8 degrees forward, likely from staring at a cell phone, typing at a computer, and studying at a desk for years.
It was at that point I realized that my actions in the present impacted my long term health. Poor posture isn't something that jumps out as immediately important or even a cause of health issues. But poor posture leads to a myriad of health issues from back and neck pain, trouble breathing, headaches, digestion issues, and disrupted sleep.
With this in mind, I set out to improve my posture. But going to a chiropractic office a couple of times a week and doing physical therapy weren't my best options because of the time, disruption to my day, and cost. It was $60 a visit to the chiro 2 times a week and the full treatment was expected to last for 2 months! I needed something I could use every day.
In 2012, the first version of Baxby was born. It was ugly. It was bulky. But it worked. Since then, Baxby has been through a half dozen versions to get the right design, shape, density, and adjustability. And to become less ugly.
Along the way, I sought out feedback from doctors, chiropractors, and occupational and physical therapists, even diving into NASA research on the human body, to find the right 'recipe'.
