Bowen Therapy

If you’re looking for a unique form of manual therapy to treat your condition, you might want to look into Bowen Therapy. It can help conditions ranging from muscle and joint pain to hay fever. In this article, read about how you can combine this unique, highly successful form of manual therapy with your medical treatment.

What are its origins?

This technique was invented by an Australian osteopath called Tom Bowen in the 1950s. A review of his work carried out in 1975 found that he treated 13,000 patients annually, and that he had an 85% success rate on many different conditions. This led to great interest in the treatment. Towards the end of his life, he agreed to have six practitioners observe him and learn his method. One of the therapists, Oswald Rentsch, took detailed notes and pioneered the spread of Bowen Therapy. He also coined the name "Bowen Technique". It is sometimes referred to as Fascial Therapy, Smart Bowen, Fascial Kinetics, Neuro-structural Integration (NST), Fascial Bowen and Bowenwork.

Today, the technique is used in over 30 countries around the world by approximately 26,000 therapists. More and more medical practitioners are recommending that patients combine this technique with medical treatment.

How does it work?

During a treatment session, the therapist will use his or her fingers and thumbs to make light movements over your muscles, tendons and fascia. These are called “Bowen Moves”. In each treatment, the therapist uses a set sequence of these moves designed to influence specific organs and parts of the body. The procedure includes pauses to allow your body to rest.

One thing that makes Bowen Therapy distinctive is the lightness and gentleness of the movements. This is central to the philosophy behind Bowen Therapy: “Less is more”. The role of the therapist is to do the smallest movements possible in order to activate the self-healing response of the body. Patients with the most severe conditions actually get the most minimal movements and the least pressure. And in turn, this is supposed to have the most profound effect on the body.

The other unique aspect of this therapy is that breaks or ‘pauses’ are a central part of each treatment session. They allow your body to adjust to the treatment.

Bowen Therapy is a holistic technique that aims to get to the root of the problem in treatment, rather than approaching the specific symptoms.

Who can benefit from Bowen Therapy?

Bowen Therapy aims to treat the whole person, and it uses light movements to influence and treat a variety of conditions. It’s very gentle, so it can be recommended for people of all ages – from small children to the elderly. For the same reason it can be used to treat any type of disorder, from muscle and joint problems to neurological conditions. There is no risk.

Which conditions can it treat?

Bowen therapy is extremely effective at treating pain. It’s very helpful in the treatment of back, neck and shoulder pain, and muscle and joint pain. It can also be incorporated into the treatment plan for a wide range of diseases and musculoskeletal or neurological conditions that are painful. It has been used successfully to treat ailments that include high blood pressure, arthritis, sports-related injuries, menstrual problems, whiplash, scoliosis, stroke, colic, hormonal disorders, multiple sclerosis and migraines.

One research study carried out by the Migraine Action Association examined the effects of the method on people who suffer from migraines. The study showed that the Bowen technique lessened both the frequency and the severity of the migraines in 80% of the subjects.

Recent research on asthma sufferers report tremendous success with the Bowen treatment. About 83% of patients reported that they had fewer attacks after treatment, and 75% reported that they needed less medication after treatment.

Bowen therapy also has a remarkably positive effect on stress and stress related conditions, like post traumatic stress disorder. It is often used as one part of a larger treatment plan, which also may include counseling, medical care or other body therapies.

Many people get treatment for preventative reasons – to keep their bodies in balance and prevent problems from developing.

Bowen Therapy and Shoulder Conditions

Evidence suggests that 95% of shoulder conditions can be treated with manual therapy. Bowen therapy is an extremely effective form of manual therapy for treating shoulder tension and inflammation. It has a significant impact on shoulder pain, as well as on the general flexibility of the muscles and joints.

Frozen Shoulder

Bowen Therapy is particularly effective in treating Frozen Shoulder. A study carried out at the European College of Bowen Studies in Frome compared Bowen Therapy to massage treatment in 100 patients with Frozen Shoulder. After 18 months of treatment, the group who had the Bowen Therapy had a much more significant improvement in shoulder flexibility and other Frozen Shoulder symptoms compared to the controls.

Rotator Cuff Tendonitis

In addition to Frozen Shoulder, Bowen Therapy is also very effective at treating the neck and back pain that tends to go along with rotator cuff injuries. It also improves flexibility and reduces the amount of swelling around the tendons.

The rotator cuff is located quite deep in the shoulder, and Bowen therapy will not be able to reach that far. Additional medical intervention and possible physiotherapy will be required, especially if the tear is quite large.

Shoulder Arthritis

Bowen Therapy has a tremendous impact on osteoarthritis. It decreases the amount of pain and inflammation significantly. It also does a lot to improve range of motion. This is mostly because osteoarthritis primarily involves inflammation and muscle damage, rather than bone and cartilage damage. Bowen reduces pain and inflammation and relaxes the tendons and muscles of the shoulder. It also helps the lymph system to drain the joints, reducing swelling.

Calcific Tendonitis

Anecdotal evidence from patients shows that Bowen is very effective in treating the immobilizing pain associated with Calcific Tendonitis.

What other benefits does it have?

Besides providing treatment for a number of ailments, this technique has many health benefits for your body. Bowen helps your circulation and removes toxins from your body. It can improve your posture and the mobility of your joints. It also allows nutrients to be assimilated more easily into your system.

What can you expect?

Your first Bowen treatment session will start with the therapist asking you about your medical history, your diet, lifestyle, and the condition you are seeking treatment for. The therapist will examine your posture to determine if there’s a problem.

Most of the time, the treatment is done with you lying face down on a massage table, but you could also be sitting down. You can wear light clothing during the session. The treatment will last from 30 minutes to one hour.

You will feel the therapist using his or her fingers and thumb to make rolling motions along your body, usually starting with your lower back. The light pressure is extremely relaxing, and some people even say they have fallen asleep during the session.

Several times during the treatment, the therapist will leave the room for 2-5 minutes. The purpose of these ‘pauses’ is to allow your body to adjust to the treatment. It’s an important part of the method. The length of the pauses will vary according to the age and severity of the condition. A child needs only very short pauses, for example, because their minds and bodies adjust to the treatment very quickly.

The practitioner will not plan the session down to the minute. This is because each person’s body behaves differently in response to the treatment, so modifications may have to be made as the session progresses.

How soon will you notice an improvement?

Most people who have undergone treatment say that they noticed considerable improvement after only one session. In fact, many people report that when they went for treatment for one condition, another issue they had was also improved. After three to five sessions, many conditions are considerably improved or even resolved.

Obviously, this does not apply to serious long term conditions or diseases. In these cases, more treatment sessions will be required to help pain and other aspects of the condition.

What should you do after a treatment session?

After the treatment, your therapist will tell you about some of the possible side effects you might experience. These could include aches in the body, hot or cold flushes or becoming emotional. It’s very important to understand that these symptoms are signs that the treatment is working properly and that your body is healing.

On the day of your treatment, you should try not to sit down for more than 30 minutes at a time. You may lie down if you need to for as much time as you want.

For at least a week following a treatment session, you should avoid other types of manual therapy like acupuncture, massage or physiotherapy. These treatments can interfere with the healing process in place in your body.

You should also avoid extremes of hot and cold for a week after your session. Don’t use hot water bottles, electric heaters and blankets or take hot baths.

Other advice your therapist will offer is to drink as much water as you can, to rid the body of toxins. Avoid stimulants like caffeine, although you can still take pain-killers and anti-inflammatory pills if you need them. For the first three days at least, walk for a minimum of 15 minutes every day.

How do I choose a Bowen Therapist?

It’s important to choose a therapist who has trained at an accredited institution and is fully licensed. Most licensed therapists have studied anatomy and physiology extensively, have first aid training, and have done many hours of practice.

Once you find a therapist you like, check the course requirements and the number of hours of clinical practice required at the institution where the therapist trained. You should also check the licensing requirements in the country, state or region where he or she is accredited.

You might want to choose a therapist who has particular experience working with patients who have the same condition for which you are seeking treatment.

Bowen Therapy and NAT

Bowen and NAT are separate techniques, although there is a slight overlap in trigger points – perhaps one or two points in common. They are both forms of manual therapy, but Bowen involves gentle movements on muscles using the fingers and thumb, while NAT tries to influence the nervous system in a novel way. The length and sequence of the approaches differs, in that NAT involves a longer session.

According to Bowen and NAT certified therapist Andy Eckley. “Bowen is considered by practitioners to be a pure therapy, not to be combined with any other approach”. In fact, most Bowen therapists are taught that combining it with another form of manual therapy will interfere with and possibly disrupt the treatment.

It is possible, and even advisable, to do a Bowen session followed by a NAT session. In this case, Eckley also stressed that, “the aim of Bowen would be to relax you before doing deeper work on your muscles with NAT”. The two approaches side by side create an ideal treatment, although when it comes to shoulder, neck, or back pain NAT will have a stronger effect.

Important facts about Bowen Therapy (sidebar)

Demographics: Bowen Therapy is currently used in over 30 countries by approximately 26,000 practitioners.

Philosophy: The philosophy behind Bowen Therapy: is “Less is more”. The role of the therapist is to make the smallest movements possible to activate the self-healing response of the body.

Method: The therapist uses his or her fingers and thumbs to make light movements over your muscles, tendons and fascia. There’s a set sequence of moves designed to influence specific organs and parts of the body. The treatment includes several 2-5 minute pauses to allow your body to rest.

Benefits: Bowen helps your circulation and removes toxins from your body, improves your posture and the joint mobility and helps nutrients to be assimilated into your system more easily.

Conditions it treats: high blood pressure, arthritis, sports-related injuries, menstrual problems, back, neck and shoulder pain, pain related to chronic or acute illness, stress and stress disorders, whiplash, asthma, scoliosis, stroke, colic, hormonal disorders, multiple sclerosis, muscle and joint problems, neurological conditions and migraines.

Shoulder Conditions: Bowen has had tremendous success treating shoulder conditions like Frozen Shoulder, Osteoarthritis, Rotator Cuff Tendonitis and Calcific Tendonitis.

Who it can treat: It’s gentle, so it’s safe for people of all ages – from small children to the elderly.

Improvement: Most people who have undergone treatment say that they noticed considerable improvement after only one session. After three to five sessions, many conditions are considerably improved or even resolved.

After Treatment: Possible side effects include aches in the body, hot or cold flushes, or becoming emotional. These are signs that the treatment is working properly and your body is healing. Avoid extremes of hot and cold, like hot water bottles or ice packs. Avoid other types of manual therapy for at least a week.

Therapists: Choose a therapist who has trained at an accredited institution and is fully licensed to practice.