Back to healthy back

Most of us have experienced the ordeal. It can be annoying, limiting and debilitating. Yes, we are talking about back pain. It can be triggered by everyday activities at home and at work. Or it can also be an ‘involuntary tax’ for prolonged periods of sitting or standing. The triggers are many and vary, but more often than not, the ‘main suspect’ is our increasingly poor posture.

We spend a big part of our lives slumped over computers, desks or behind a steering wheel. This leads to many physical problems. We lose the natural curve of our back, our pelvis tilts, the hamstrings shorten, shoulders round and our neck shifts forward. Taking all this into consideration, no wonder our back becomes weak and more susceptible to acquiring some sort of discomfort or pain!

But it is not all doom and gloom. If I were to tell you that there is a technique with a success rate of up to 85% effectiveness in treating back pain in just 4-5 sessions, would you want to know more? Well then, let me introduce you to the Bowen Technique.

Developed in the late 1950’s, this powerful technique is based on the principle that the human body is made of connective tissues that are all interlinked. Bowen is subtle, yet targeted therapy which treats the body as a whole. By using the fingers and thumbs to perform gentle rolling movements, the muscles, ligaments and tendons are realigned. This often leads to reduced lower back pain, pelvic realignment and improved flexibility. After a few Bowen sessions, you might be even able to touch your toes again!

 

During a Bowen session, your therapist ‘teaches’ your body to realign from within. The ‘correction process’ is not applied onto the body, Bowen rather encourages your body to heal and realign itself. It is not dissimilar to pressing the ‘restart’ button on your computer. Prevention and regular maintenance are better than an emergency treatment, so why not let Bowen help your body to stay balanced and aligned?

By Marty Fabianova, Bowen Technique practitioner at Shine, Church Street