By the age of five, Ryan Swier, DC (’97), already knew he wanted to continue his family’s legacy as a fourth-generation chiropractor. As a child, he dreaded trips to the doctor, especially when he needed to get shots, but his experience with his uncle, Thomas Joseph Swier, DC (’70), was different.
“I always thought my uncle was the cool doctor because he didn’t give shots and I wanted to be like him,” Dr. Swier said. “He had nothing but good things to say about Logan, so when I was looking for a place to continue my education, I knew where I wanted to go.”
After graduating from Logan University’s Doctor of Chiropractic program and passing his board exams, Dr. Swier immediately began working alongside his uncle, who runs his own practice in St. Louis County.
“Logan taught me how to be a chiropractor, and my uncle taught me how to put that into action,” Dr. Swier said. “He taught me how to talk and connect with patients.”
In 2002, Dr. Swier opened his own practice, Swier Chiropractic LLC, located in Saint Peters, Missouri. Inspired by his uncle, Dr. Swier takes a personal approach to care, managing every aspect of the practice himself—without office managers or assistants. This hands-on method has created a family atmosphere at his practice.
“A perfect day is when I see anywhere between 10 to 15 patients,” Dr. Swier said. “It gives me time to listen and help, not just adjust them and get them out the door.”
After over 20 years of recommending BIOFREEZE®, a topical gel that provides cooling relief for sore muscles and joints, to patients, Dr. Swier noticed many of his patients struggled to apply it to hard-to-reach areas, especially their backs. To solve this, Dr. Swier ventured into product innovation.
Dr. Swier worked hard to design, develop and produce several prototypes of his idea. After five years, he had perfected his dream by creating That BARR (Back Assist Roller Reacher). Launched in January 2024, the ergonomic design of That BARR allows users to apply any type of roll-on pain relief product without assistance. With finger grooves that accommodate those with arthritis or smaller hands, That BARR is for people of all ages. It even includes a handy hole for easy hanging and storage.
Since its launch, Dr. Swier has been pleased with the steady growth of sales. Priced at $19.99, That BARR is currently available on Amazon, or directly through his practice.
“The challenge right now is getting it in front of people, because once they see how it’s used they automatically want one,” Dr. Swier said. “Each month, sales continue to get better and I’m excited to see where this goes.”
Dr. Swier aims to move into wholesale and spend more time marketing his product. As he continues to balance his chiropractic practice with his growing invention, his commitment to helping others remains at the heart of everything he does.