What a difference a year makes. While 2020 has been full of the unexpected, we were committed during our time in quarantine to continue pursuing goals aligned with our long term vision. Then something unexpected happened – something great.
First a back story. In April of 2019, we were introduced to Phoebe and Arjun, owners of a company/product called Gumdrop. Phoebe, who graduated with a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Northwestern University and Arjun, an MBA student at University of Chicago Booth School of Business, entered the self myofascial release market with a patented treatment tool that Phoebe designed and developed called the Gumdrop. When Eric and I first saw the Gumdrop we knew it was special and we were impressed that Phoebe designed it without having a background in myofascial science. Yes, the Gumdrop addresses knots in the body just like a lacrosse ball would, for example. Phoebe’s intention was to create something more practical that wouldn’t roll away while being used. However, what she unintentionally stumbled upon is the importance of pressure in treating myofascial dysfunction. Phoebe, just like Kenny Owens who first developed Delos Therapy and was also an engineer, intuitively understood that tissue and matter respond to pressure. Rolling was just too superficial and not nearly as impactful.
The principles of Delos Therapy were developed in the 1970s and only today are they being proven through science and research, most of which is happening in Europe. The latest findings show that direct pressure leads to pliability, which is the healthiest state of muscles and fascia. To achieve pliability, collagen build up and fibrosis in muscles must be broken up by pressing into the affected areas and forcing the fibers apart, ideally by using a tool with a surface area that is appropriate in size for the area being treated. At Delos Therapy, we use varying angles of our elbows to apply different intensities of pressure – sometimes broad parts of the elbow and sometimes the most pointed area of the elbow – depending on the muscle being treated, the level of inflammation, the amount of hardness in the tissue and the sensitivity. Phoebe realized the importance of the tool’s surface area. A ball used for myofascial release has only one surface area option, but the pyramid shape she created with the Gumdrop has four different radii corners, thus four options to address varying parts of the body. Even the material it is made of has an ideal feel – not too hard and not too soft. It is brilliant. The Gumdrop, with limited marketing efforts and a relatively basic operation, reached a wide audience in the field spanning from chiropractors and physical therapists to fitness enthusiasts and professionals who sit at their desks all day.
In April of 2020, we had reached out to Phoebe and Arjun to see if we could sell the Gumdrop in our clinics. We hadn’t found anything better on the market. We finally received a response from Phoebe that they had some remaining inventory, but weren’t continuing operations. Both she and Arjun had successful careers and didn’t have sufficient time to allocate to the Gumdrop. Eric and I panicked for a moment because we knew how amazing this product was. With so many people working from home now, we knew everyone was looking for self-treatment tools they could use on their own. We approached Phoebe and Arjun with a proposal to acquire their intellectual property and assets, and we were thrilled when the deal worked out. All four of us wanted the Gumdrop to succeed, especially considering how effective it is and how many people would benefit. Our therapists are also thrilled to have a fantastic product to recommend to their clients for home use.
From the beginning, all the signs were there. An engineer developed both Delos Therapy and the Gumdrop. Arjun and I both went to Booth. Delos Therapy focuses on pressure applied from multiple angles using varying surface areas to pinpoint tightness, which is also the philosophy behind the genius design of the Gumdrop. People are looking for solutions to use at home and the Gumdrop was created for self-treatment no matter where people are. This great, unexpected thing happened in 2020 and we are thrilled that the Gumdrop lives on via Delos Therapy.
- Delos Therapy Acquires the Gumdrop - November 11, 2020
- Delos – Our Name and Values - December 29, 2014