The Bowen Technique
The Bowen Technique is a Remedial Soft Tissue Manipulation Therapy that uses gentle rolling movements on precise locations of the body. The aim of treatment is to stimulate the body to correct its own problems, thus providing quick and lasting results. The Bowen Technique is becoming increasingly used by physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths who find the simple, strai
ght forward and gentle approach not only to be very effective, but suitable for everyone from babies to the elderly. What it the Bowen Technique? The Bowen Technique is a relatively modern therapy originated by Thomas Ambrose Bowen who was born in Geelong, Australia. Its remarkable ability to get quick and effective results has seen its popularity gradually spread around the world. For many people it is the first choice of treatment for any aches and pains that may occur. A treatment consists of the application of very gentle rolling movements across muscles and other soft tissue at key locations on the body. The result of these rolling movements is a stimulus to the body that encourages self regulation - allowing the body to resolve health problems for itself. The holistic nature of each therapy session means that the therapist never treats only an isolated area - the whole body it always treated. It is difficult to compare the Bowen Technique to other therapies. There is no deep pressure applied, there is no massage used and there is no crunching/clicking of joints. What can it safely treat? The Bowen Technique is most recognised for its use in resolving muscular and joint problems, but it can help with almost any health concern you may have. Sports injuries
Work related injuries
Stress & tension based problems
Hayfever & breathing problems
Digestive problems
General relaxation
Postural problems
Lymphatic problems
Headaches / Migraines
Chronic fatigue
Eczema
If you are not sure whether the Bowen Technique is suitable for your health condition, please contact the therapist, who will be able to advise you. What to expect at a treatment
Before your first treatment you will be asked to fill in a detailed health questionnaire. This will help the therapist to have a comprohensive understanding of the major influences on your health and wellbeing. At the beginning of the session the therapist may ask a few follow-up questions and you will have an opportunity to ask questions and outline the problems you want to resolve. You will lye down and relax whilst the treatment is performed. In the first part of the session the whole body is treated, from head to toe. As the therapist works through this sequence of moves he will be assessing the body and, picking up on where there are muscular tensions and other disturbances. In the second part of the session the therapist will return to areas that need more work and use deeper techniques and procedures to help restore function to those areas. One of the most important features of a Bowen treatment are the pauses that are placed regularly throughout the session. The therapist will administer a sequence of manipulations and then leave the client for up to 4 minutes. It is during this time that the body is responding and changing as a result of the stimulus that has just been applied. A lot of clients are initially surprised at how such a small amount of contact time with the therapist can yield such big improvements. The full effect of a Bowen session may not be felt straight away. It is common for changes to be occuring over the following three days. How many sessions are required? This is a difficult question to answer and varies from person to person. It is most common to have a course of 3-6 sessions on a weekly basis, and then to evaluate the progress. If after 6 sessions more are required they can be less frequent. Sessions may occur once every 2-4 weeks. The results of Bowen sessions are cumulative; the effect builds from one session to the next. Maintenance Sessions
Once a problem has been resolved it should stay that way, unless your daily activities cause it to return. For some people, their job or sports may require that 'top-up' sessions are needed periodically to prevent problems returning. For some people Bowen may not be able to totally resolve a problem but may be able to keep symptoms under control and prevent a worsening of the condition. For these people maintenance sessions allow them to function better in daily life.
