Bowen therapy
Bowen therapy is a comprehensive remedial body technique that works on the soft connective tissues (known as fascia). Bowen therapy is a technique used to treat musculoskeletal or neurological issues such as acute sports injuries and chronic conditions. It is a gentle and relaxing process and does not use any forceful manipulation.
Bowen therapy is mainly performed on the superficial and deep fascia. The fascia, which is a soft tissue, is a part of the connective tissues that covers, separates and affects every organ and tissue present in the body.
The Bowen technique is safe for everyone, from newborns to the elderly and for people having musculoskeletal or neuromuscular issues. It is a holistic process that treats the person and targets its cause rather than its symptoms.
Does it work
When the therapist followed up after ten months, the client was still free of migraine and neck pain. To date, there is very little scientific proof that Bowen therapy actually works. This treatment has not been widely researched. Some studies were done on its effects, but the results don’t show promising or solid evidence.
For example, in 2016, a 66-year-old woman had 14 sessions of Bowen therapy performed in 4 months. She had this therapy done because of migraine and neck and jaw injuries due to a car accident. A well-trained Bowen work therapist conducted all her Bowen therapy sessions. An evaluation tool used to see the clients symptoms, changes in pain and sense of well-being. During the last two sessions, the client experienced no pain symptoms.
A 2017 study shows conflicting results. In that study, 34 people received two Bowen therapy sessions. After measuring the people pain approach on ten different body sites, the research showed that Bowen therapy had inconsistent effects on the pain response. However, the people didn’t have any specific ailments, and this process only had two sessions. To understand how Bowen therapy affects the pain response if used over a long time, more research and study have to be done.
Procedure
As humans, we can develop responses to impulses quite fast. A Bowen therapist applies pressure suitable for one’s body, so it doesn’t disturb the body’s defence system. Therefore, Bowen therapy gives our bodies a needed break, in which the body can relax.
A Bowen Therapy treatment consists of several small moves, each of varying pressure and each for a specific region of the body. The treatment is quite pleasant in which the practitioners use gentle and cross fibre exercises on the muscles with minimal forces applied.
Before the start, your therapist may ask you to drink plenty of water because this technique requires fully hydrated cells and tissues. This treatment usually lasts for about 30 minutes to 60 minutes. During the therapy, you wear very light layered clothing and said to remove thick or heavy garments. In the process, the therapist, after doing some exercises, may leave the room for about 2 to 5 minutes. This small interval of time allows your body to relax and respond to the treatment. And enable changes to occur in the body and to get ready for the following sequence of exercises. Once the treatment is complete, the therapist will again ask you to drink more water before experiencing more physical and emotional changes.
The movements and exercises used in Bowens therapy are selective and only used for precise body parts. It consists of moving the soft tissue in a specific way. It is usually a rolling movement using the fingers, hands or the elbow, depending on the affected area. It develops a focus for the brain by restoring the nerve pathways and tissues. The movement uses a slack of skin to move the tissues beneath. Each activity covers a small area, not more than 2 to 4 centimeters, depending on how far the skin can move.
Benefits
Following are some of the benefits of Bowen therapy:
Relaxation:
When was the last day you had time for yourself to relax and let your body recharge? Bowen therapy is incredibly relaxing as it instantly soothes the tensed nervous system, which encourages a balance of sleep and digestion.
Improves posture:
After having Bowen therapy, you feel and appear taller and straighter and have a balanced posture. It is essential to adopt a natural stance through relaxation.
Injury care:
It is common for previous injuries to support, reduce pain and help prevent further injuries. During this treatment, the therapist conducts precise moves over muscles, fascia and nerves. This helps send neurological impulses to the brain, creating a vibrational pattern that reorganizes the musculoskeletal system to its original state.
Benefits fascia:
Fascia is a three-dimensional tissue web that is ever flowing and continuous. Because of repeated movements, trauma or poor posture can cause sticking and tightness. Bowen therapy helps to release any stress and provide balance through working mainly on the fascia.
Provides alignment:
Jaws, shoulders, hips, pelvis, ankle and knees help maintain the body’s posture and alignment. If the joints are out of alignment, then it may lead to future discomforts. Bowen therapy provides gentle realignment, which helps the body to hold, releasing pain.
Relief from stress:
Doing daily stress and workout, and in this busy life, one gets stressed and tired. A great way to get relaxed from all this stress is to get a good massage treatment. Bowen therapy can help relieve stress and produce better results by penetrating to a deeper cellular level.
Promotes sleep:
Bowen therapy technique is very effective as it connects the mind and body through nerves and receptors. The moves designed by the therapist help to create a restoration of structural integrity between the body and the brain. This therapy helps reduces discomfort and also restores a harmonic balance.
The bottom line
There is very little research done on the benefits and after-effects of Bowen therapy. However, therapists say that it helps reduce pain and stress. This therapy works by altering the nervous system and reduces the pain response.
Suppose a person wants to have Bowen therapy, be sure to consult a well-trained Bowen therapist. It is essential to express your concerns before starting the treatment and ask all your queries to fully understand what this therapy will do and what to expect.
