9/10/2013 0 Comments Stamina and FlexibilityBowen helps sportspeople with stamina, flexibility and achieving PB's, as well as prevention and recovery from injuries. David and I have two sons at boarding school in Sydney - Cam and Scott. Both are passionate sportsmen - fast bowlers and rugby union players. I question Cam's sanity as a tackling machine in rugby, and Scott's sanity as he loves long distance running and triathlons, and his dream is to join his uncles at the Port Macquarie Iron Man marathon. I shake my head, but have no doubt that he will do this one day. Given that they give their bodies such a tough time, no wonder they regularly have minor complaints such as corked thighs, sore necks, hips, calves, knees, wrists etc. Our visits to Sydney to see them invariably result in both bodies receiving Bowen treatments, which keep them going till next time. Sometimes I don't get down enough, and a quick visit to the wonderful chiropractor who is 10 minutes walk from the school and starts work at 6am (bless him!) gets them back on track. Last year both boys were complaining of tight hamstrings, so I treated their hammies and threw in an advanced hamstring procedure I had recently learned and had not had the opportunity to use before. The feedback was pretty good - no tightness after the treatment, and both could once again touch their toes easily. Surprisingly though, the effect got better over time. Both boys said that they were even more flexible in the legs about a week later, and the effect lasted for about 6 weeks, despite the knocks and bumps of rugby season. They thought it gave them more speed and strength in the legs. Neither had complained about tight hamstrings since then, so we hadn't experimented any more with it. David and I went to Sydney about six weeks later to see Scott run the under 15 1500m race at GPS Athletics. The night before Scott asked for a Bowen treatment (surprise surprise) to help his lower back, hip, knee and hamstrings. I went against the philosophy of less is best and treated all problems with BRM1, Hamstring, Pelvic and Knee Procedures as well as a few advanced moves including the new hamstring procedure mentioned above and a procedure that is meant to help with stamina - it was a lot for one treatment. Scott was a bit apprehensive after the treatment as there didn't seem to be any relief to any of his problems, and the thought of running such a long race in pain didn't really inspire him. But next morning was a different story - only a little niggle in the hip remained, and he was very excited about his prospects. The kid had worked really hard all summer towards improving his running. He had done everything his coach suggested, and had learned a huge amount during his first full season of real training. With all of that and a well balanced body he ran third, not far behind the Kings runner and a couple of seconds behind the Shore runner. Scott was very grateful for the Bowen treatment that enabled him to run pain free, but he also said that his hammies were so free he could really extend his stride which made keeping up with the leaders and positioning himself much easier, and he felt good the whole race right to the end, unlike before when he would get tired. Whilst he still didn't have what it takes to get them in the end, he was hot on their heels and very pleased with himself. Needless to say his ma and pa are very proud. If you're looking to improve your sporting performance you've got to try Bowen - it really works! For more information check out the website www.bowentherapydubbo.com.au, email me, or phone me on 0427 143 743. Cheers for now, Prue
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2/10/2013 0 Comments Sometimes it takes timeBowen really does help those niggling things we put down to old age. As we get older we notice that our posture gets worse, we're not as flexible, we don't sleep as well, we can't eat what we used to, and many other things. All of this we put down to the fact that we're getting older, and we accept these hindrances, challenges and limitations as inevitable. I don't believe it has to be like that. I believe that we are meant to age gracefully, and I believe that Bowen can help to make that happen. Sometimes it takes a lifetime for our body to get a certain way, in which case it will take a long time for it to rectify itself. If we have been walking a certain way for 40 years and our lower back goes, we can't expect it to be fixed in a few treatments. Similarly we can't expect a long term fix with surgery without addressing the cause. If the cause is not addressed, the same problem will occur or another area of the body will deteriorate. A person came in to my clinic the other day who said that she hadn't had Bowen before but that her 80 year old aunt used to be all bent over, stiff and cranky and is now flexible, active and happy thanks to her neighbour who has been doing Bowen on her for a couple of years. As a result she had decided to try Bowen for herself. Her aunt reminded me of a gentleman I treated a number of years ago for a year or so. When I gave him his first Bowen treatment he was bent over, leaning to one side, he couldn't turn his neck, both feet pointed out and he could only take short steps with one leg. He had been like this for five years, and he said for the ten years before that his body gradually took on this position. Massages and chiropractic treatments had helped in the short term but did nothing to halt the progress, and the chiropractor had even said that there was nothing more he could do. Doctors didn't seem to be interested in helping him, putting it all down to his age. I shared my doubts that I would be able to make much of a difference for him, but that I thought Bowen may be able to relieve some of his pain and help him sleep better. In some ways I was right, but I was also very, very wrong! By the time he came in for his second treatment he had slept well for four nights in a row, getting at least seven straight hours sleep each of the four nights. He was very excited by this development, and eager to see what would happen after his second treatment. When he came in for his third treatment he was still sleeping well, and he was feeling much happier. For about two years he had become so grumpy that he didn't want to go out, nor even speak with his wife very much. He was planning an outing with his wife and some friends on the weekend, and was very excited that he was looking forward to it. He had also started walking down the street a few houses and back which made him feel good. By the time his fourth treatment came around he was thinking that his back was not as sore and uncomfortable. Over the next few weeks we kept track of the pain level in his back, and it was certainly improving. He was walking a bit further every day and he was very proud of that. We saw no improvement in his posture though until about week 12, when he walked in upright! I was so shocked, and grilled him about when and what he'd done to make this happen. He said that he hadn't noticed, and his wife hadn't commented, but was delighted to see that it was actually true - he was standing upright! He was still leaning to one side however, and that slowly corrected itself over the next six weeks. During this time his neck became flexible again, regaining normal range of movement from side to side, and better but still limited up and down. By then he was walking for about half an hour five days a week. He was walking slowly, as his feet were still pointing out to the sides. A couple of months later, about six months after I started treating him, his legs straightened so that his feet and knees pointed straight ahead (one leg took a bit longer than the other). Now he can keep up with his son on his daily walks, and enjoys the company. He kept coming in for his weekly Bowen treatments for another six months because he was sure it did him so much good. He had improved his diet and had addressed a number of emotional issues he had with a counselor, so had become quite enthusiastic about his wellbeing. He was getting very active, had resumed bowls and fishing with his friends, and was walking 45 minutes a day. He was happy and sociable, and very grateful to Bowen for making him "feel 40 years younger". He and his wife moved to the coast to be closer to family, and I put him in touch with a Bowen therapist over there who is continuing to treat this delightful gentleman. If you think Bowen may be able to help you, a loved one or a friend, I would be very happy to hear from you. Please phone me on 0427 143 743, email me, or check out my webiste, www.bowentherapydubbo.com.au. Cheers for now, Prue 11/9/2013 1 Comment Knees moving onWorking with Bowen is a true joy, and I am continually surprised by the delightfully positive results people have. It is the significant difference that it makes in people's lives that is both inspiring and humbling. "Yeah, I love rugby. You won't be able to fix my knees, so this will be my last rugby season. I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can." June 2009 The person who said this to me before his first Bowen treatment was only 12 years old. Fancy being convinced that at the age of 12 it would be the last season he would play the sport about which he was so passionate. This client had seen doctors, specialists, chiropractors, osteopaths, and anybody else his parents could think of. Bowen was the last idea they had, then it would be surgery which was the last option they wanted to take, as they were told it would be not a total fix and he would not be able to be very active afterwards. There are times when Bowen works and there are times when Bowen doesn't work. Is it the person? Is it the condition? Is it that the client doesn't believe? Is it that the practitioner doesn't believe? Or is it as random as the bird on the telephone pole to the right of the green tree flew off to the right not the left? I remember thinking to myself that if all these knowledgeable people had checked these knees out and couldn't fix them, how could I? Thank goodness for all the Bowen people who simply say "trust in the process, just believe". So I put all doubt out of my head, said a little prayer and had a "chat" to Mr Bowen, and planned a three week treatment schedule. After only two treatments this young fellow was pain free and his knees were working a treat. Four years on he is still loving his rugby, and playing it very well I might add. Thank you Mr Bowen. Knees are funny things, and not long after I treated this boy a young lady came in for a similar condition with her knees. By the time she had refereed a few games of soccer and played her soccer game her knees were swollen and very painful. She would rest on the lounge for the remainder of the weekend, and by Wednesday they had recovered enough to go to training and start all over again. This had happened all the season before, and we were in the middle of the second season of pain, and she was beginning to think she would have to give up the sport she loved. Once again, a three week treatment schedule made a marked difference, and the young lady is making her mark on the soccer fields of Canberra now. Thanks again Mr Bowen. If you think I might be able to help your knees, or you have an issue which is potentially going to stop you playing sport, I'd be happy to hear from you. For more information check out my website, email or phone me on 0427 143 743 for an appointment. Cheers for now, Prue 4/9/2013 0 Comments How Does Bowen Work?How does Bowen work? Bowen relieves pain, manages symptoms, improves wellbeing, normalises blood pressure, restores balance to the body and so much more. But how do these seemingly insignificant gentle moves work? I don’t think anybody really knows yet. There is a lot of technical information written on theories of how it works, but I’m not sure that any of it is really proven. Here are some ideas that may help to understand. Bowen moves create tsunami-like waves in the connective tissue, being the muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves and fascia. At a Bowen workshop I attended in Tamworth last year, instructor Ann Schubert played a video made in France showing the effects of a Bowen move on the connective tissue under the skin. They must have implanted a camera under the skin somehow … isn’t technology wonderful? We couldn’t understand a word they said, but we actually saw the regular wave-like movements traveling through the area of connective tissue that the camera was viewing. For us Bowen therapists it was really cool. The other really interesting thing the video illustrated was the difference between well hydrated connective tissue and dehydrated connective, which brought home for me the importance of drinking enough water both in preparation for a Bowen treatment and for normal everyday life. The waves the Bowen move created were much more robust in the well hydrated connective tissue, which had a lot more integrity than the tissue that was not as hydrated. These tsunami-like waves travel throughout the body. You can imagine these waves combing out knots and tangles in the muscle fibres, and giving messages to the brain about the state of the various parts of the body through which they travel. In the early Bowen workshops I attended I was taught that the brain compares one side of the body to the other. During treatments, when we are not addressing the left side first (to create balance, restore homeostasis and normalise blood pressure), we address the “better side first, and then the side that will get better”. In this way the brain becomes aware of how the first side feels. When it becomes aware of how different the second side feels it endeavours to balance the body so the second side becomes as good as the first side. The first two moves of most Bowen treatments are know as the “emergency moves”. These moves, it is said, send a message to the brain that the emergency is over and now the body can relax and start to heal. There is one thing that Bowen does for everyone, and that is that it gets them to relax. From this relaxed state the body can get on with regenerating without having to deal with other stressors or stimuli. To create an environment where there are no stressors or stimuli, I work in a quiet environment. I do not have music playing, and nor do I communicate with the client other than to ensure their comfort and give some instructions. In this way the client’s body can do what it needs to do, without any interruptions or distractions. These tsunami-like waves continue travel ling throughout the body for up to ten days. When I was studying my Cert IV of Bowen Therapy, I met with another two or three students each week to swap Bowen treatments so we all got some practice and some benefit. It was wonderful. We did it for about ten months or so, maybe longer. Over that time my body made some significant changes for the better – my knee became stronger, my lower back pain improved and finally left, my hip pain ceased and my chronic fatigue eased noticeably. After some time I became aware of a sensation within my body which occurred quite regularly throughout the week after our get togethers, and the other members began to notice it in themselves too. We fondly referred to it as the “Bowen Buzz”, and it was a reminder to us that the most recent Bowen treatment we had was still very much at work seven to ten days out. Unfortunately most people do not have the luxury of weekly Bowen treatments for so long and the awareness to notice this, but I am certain the Bowen is still buzzing in all my clients’ bodies for at least a week after I see them. We can take advantage of this period of up to ten days by making the follow-up session before the waves dissipate altogether. By having consecutive treatments about a week apart we can build upon the result of the first treatment, and the second treatment will be more effective with generally less moves. How do we prove that any of this is the case? It really sounds like someone has made it all up, which I guess they have. But ask those people that were facing pain and disability for the rest of their lives who have been healed with Bowen Therapy. They will agree that they don’t know how it works, but it has definitely turned their lives around. Check out my website, send me an email or give me a call on 0427 143 743 to make an appointment. I look forward to hearing from you. Cheers for now, Prue 29/8/2013 0 Comments What is Bowen?Bowen Therapy is a very gentle therapy which is very relaxing, eases back, neck, joint and muscle pain and relieves symptoms of an infinite number of conditions. The treatment involves a series of movements that roll over muscles. The pressure involved is no more than that with which you would rub your eye if it were itchy. Generally no more than a few movements are done at a time, and then the Bowen therapist will leave the room for a couple of minutes. This "wait" is characteristic of Bowen Therapy, and allows the body time to integrate the impact of the moves before the treatment continues. I have been doing Bowen since 2007, and finally opened my clinic in 2012. My first experience of Bowen was with horses, and the amazing results inspired me to study this wonderful therapy. Bowen has had a dramatically positive effect on many of the people I have worked on, relieving chronic pain, alleviating chronic fatigue, correcting scoliosis and kyphosis, increasing stamina, flexibility and peak performance, and improving sense of wellbeing to name a few of the amazing results. My plan is to regularly add to this Blog. If you find the idea of Bowen interesting, inspiring or thought provoking please share it with your friends, and visit my website to find out more. Being human is not meant to be a painful and awkward process - it is meant to be elegant, graceful and pain free. With Bowen it can be. I warmly invite you to experience this wonderful modality yourself. Give me a call on 0427 143 743 to make an appointment. |
AuthorHi, I'm Prue Duffy, a Bowen Therapist and Equine Muscle Release Therapist in regional NSW, Australia, and the results most of my clients get is truly amazing.. I've been doing Bowen since 2007, and opened a practice in Dubbo in 2012. Since then my passion for continuous education has led me to learn from world leaders in the field of Bowen Therapy and myofascial techniques, and my desire to assist animals with a better understanding of what they are experiencing has led me down a fascinating path that can also be applied to people. Archives
September 2021
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