The Bowen Technique

​The Bowen Technique (Bowtech) is a gentle but powerful technique that works by balancing the autonomic nervous system, which controls over 80% of our bodily functions without us even being aware of it. Things like breathing and keeping our hearts beating!

Amanda interviews her local practitioner so see what makes this therapy so useful for the treatment of back issues.

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​A personal favourite therapy of mine is Bowtech which is suitable for almost anyone. The technique is gentle and stimulates the body’s own natural healing process. It may be used on babies, the very elderly and very sick as well as on sports people and the ‘man in the street’.

My local practitioner is Diane Brown of the Willow Garden and I took the opportunity recently of asking Diane what makes Bowtech so effective for back pain.

Amanda: So Diane, why is this technique so effective for back pain?

Diane: Well, Bowtech works on the autonomic nervous system, taking it out of its hyperactive state of sympathetic intervention and bringing it back to a place of balance. Being a deceptively light, non-invasive and non-manipulative technique, often it feels as though little has happened and yet in fact, it addresses the whole body, working on many levels including the physical, chemical, emotional and psychological well-being of each client. This means that the technique can be used very successfully for back pain because whatever the cause of your back pain, whether structural, emotional or energetic, that cause will be addressed within the balancing procedure.

Amanda:  What happens during a typical treatment?
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Diane: A typical treatment will find you in light clothing lying on a couch. In a classic Bowen move over a muscle or tendon the practitioner will lightly draw the skin aside and a gentle ‘challenge’ (push) is made on the muscle or tendon. The challenge is held for a few seconds before a rolling move is made over the muscle itself. The action of this type of move elicits a powerful effect on the body on a number of levels, not just the musculo-skeletal system.

Amanda: How does Bowtech actually work?

Diane: One way of explaining how the technique works is to look at its effect on the nerves within the muscles. Firstly, as the challenge is placed on a muscle and the muscle is gently stretched the stretch receptors (which lie alongside muscle fibres inside the muscle) begin to send sensory information along the nerve pathways to the spinal cord. There are many thousands of stretch receptors or muscle spindles in each muscle. Thousands of times per second they send information to the brain about the status of individual muscles. During treatment a stretch on the muscle is maintained for several seconds before the move itself is made. During and after the move further sensory information is sent via nerves to the spinal cord and then to various areas of the brain.
After the sensory information introduced by the Bowen move reaches the spinal cord it passes through the nerve pathways to different centres of the brain. Here the information is shunted backwards and forwards via a complex self-corrective feedback mechanism. Following this the information is sent back down the spinal cord to individual muscles.

Amanda: Why does Bowtech have such a profound effect on the body?

Diane: Bowen moves are made at key structural points in the body which the brain uses as natural reference points to determine the body’s posture, as a result certain Bowen moves have a huge effect on the way that the body holds itself.

Amanda Is there any scientific research to support these claims?

Diane: Yes, indeed, one research study into the effectiveness of the Bowen Technique in treating frozen shoulders, was undertaken by the university of Central Lancashire, it showed that after only a few sessions frozen shoulder sufferers showed significantly improved mobility and pain reduction.

Amanda: With what sort of issues can Bowen help?

Diane: In fact, from muscular pains and strains to digestive imbalances, from migraine and headaches to respiratory and fertility problems, Bowtech is successful in restoring your body to the balance and harmony of its original blueprint. So you can try it on pretty much anything! Often it only takes two or three sessions to get you there.
 
My own experiences with Bowtech have been quite profound. Certainly I found it made a huge difference with a frozen shoulder after only one session. Perhaps it will suit you too?

Here’s to your very good health!

Amanda Sharman

To find out more about the Bowen Technique, we recommend these books as introductory reading.