Bowen Technique

The Bowen technique, a series of rolling, gentle movements across muscle and connective tissue, was designed by an osteopath named Tom Bowen in Geelong, Australia and later exported to other parts of the world. This technique is said to be so gentle, it can be used on anyone, from infants to the elderly. The Bowen technique has been found to relieve sciatica, frozen shoulder, fibromyalgia and other painful conditions. Because of its amazing rate of success, many therapists are incorporating this technique in their practice.

The Bowen Technique is not a type of massage or acupressure. The practitioner begins by gently working the upper and lower back with thumbs and fingers, followed by problem areas specific to the patient. Two-minute pauses are taken at intervals, during which the practitioner leaves the room. These pauses help allow the body to integrate the move into the system. A typical treatment session lasts between 30 to 45 minutes and most people see results after 2 to 3 sessions. The technique produces a deep relaxation by releasing areas of built-up stress in the muscles, causing some people to fall asleep while it is being performed.

This technique believed to stimulate the stretch and golgi tendon reflexes in the areas being worked on to provide deeper sensory awareness. The golgi tendon is an organ that detects change in the tension of the muscle and causes it to adjust to that change. This leads to feelings of warmth and tingling in those areas. Through this heightened sensory awareness, the body is encouraged to regulate and heal itself.

Studies have been undertaken to prove the efficacy of the Bowen technique in relieving heart rate variability in patients suffering from fibromyalgia. At the end of the study, patients who had been subjected to the treatment were found to have a significant drop in heart rate as well as relief from the pain. The Bowen Technique has also achieved positive results in patients suffering from frozen shoulder and hamstring problems.

Even though the Bowen Technique is relatively new as far as therapies go, it has achieved a good reputation as being one of the leading handling techniques for relieving pain. Ask us about it and see if it is the right thing for you.