15/04/2026
Limbo hasn’t been able to walk voluntarily for nearly 4 years…
Limbo had spinal stabilisation surgery 4 years ago, where an internal spinal brace was fitted — one of the first procedures of its kind in Australia. Since then, he hasn’t been able to walk independently.
His family did everything right — they committed to ongoing rehab for a long time. Eventually, due to limited progress, they made the decision to move to wheels.
Limbo would also experience periods of pain that could last up to a week at a time, which they were trying to manage as best they could.
Since starting Bowen therapy, we’ve seen a significant shift.
He’s no longer having those prolonged pain episodes.
He’s more comfortable, more settled, and overall a much happier dog.
And more recently… we’ve started to see something really important.
With tail support, he’s now able to bring his hind legs underneath him and produce a rhythmic stepping pattern — you can see the legs cycling forward rather than just kicking out.
This isn’t just reflex movement.
What Limbo is demonstrating is activation of the spinal cord’s locomotor pattern (often referred to as spinal walking) — where the body can generate a walking rhythm even without full neurological recovery.
Right now, his limitation isn’t the pattern —
it’s strength and stability, particularly through his right hind leg where there’s been significant muscle loss over time.
With support, he can step.
Without it, he fatigues and loses balance.
And that tells us something important 👇
The movement is there — we now need to build the body to support it.
✨ A big part of Limbo’s progress has come from a nervous system–focused approach.
By reducing protective tension and improving neurological communication, we can begin to unlock movement patterns that have been dormant for years.
This is where Bowen therapy can be incredibly powerful in complex spinal cases — not by forcing movement, but by allowing the body to reorganise and respond.
Stay tuned… 🐾
