Well being

2 day old Runner Bean was finding it difficult to feed off his mum, he griped a lot and seemed distressed. He wriggled around clearly in some discomfort. Very simply Bowen Technique was used to release his neck, back, diaphragm and gut. After this treatment the griping went but he was clearly still stuck and upset when trying to find milk from his mum. A second very simply treatment was given at 3 days old and Runner Bean has now settled in himself and feeds calmly and happily.

Ruby was diagnosed with extensive arthritis by her vet. She was on pain medication yet still was very wary of being touched at all. Ruby was uncomfortable, awkward, stiff, and her joints cracked loudly as she moved, she appeared twice her age. Her front legs tremored at rest and her eyes were dull. She presented with incredibly over heated and dehydrated muscle fibres and fascia layers locked down rigidly onto her spine, back and joints throughout. She received 9 Bowen treatments over 5 months. By her third Bowen treatment Ruby soft tissues were substantially cooler, freer and more hydrated, 90% improved. Her movements more agile and general looked far healthier. On my advice Ruby’s bed was moved from a cold floor inside the busy and draughty entrance door to a warm raised one in a quiet area of the house. After the five months of treatment Ruby’s eyes shone bright and her head carriage lifted to normal, she no longer cowered around people and her movements were fluid and free. As some of Ruby’s joints still appeared a bit dry I referred her owner back to her vet to discuss supplements to further aid the hydration of Ruby’s joints.

A 9 month old Whippet called Nelly came for treatment, lame on both front and back left legs for 3 months. She’d hop with hind leg in the air after a run, and she has to be lifted up into the car. X-rays from specialist vets diagnosed ‘congenital lumbosacral transitional vertebrae, and collateral ligament sprain and joint capsule damage to left carpus’. It was thought her abnormally extended vertebra in her low back was causing the lameness in her hind left leg and wouldn’t resolve without surgery. The vets kindly forwarded the X-rays to me. From the X-rays it was 50/50 whether we could treat the hind lameness.

Initial treatment observations found: Slightly swollen and tender L wrist and Carpus, nervy rawness in Sacroiliac joint on left descending into left gluteal muscles. Fibrous and separated fibres in left Quadraceps. Flanks stiff and inflexible and left gluteal rigid with tension.

Nelly’s tissues responded really favourably to Bowen treatment and she had 4 treatments in all. The final treatment was simply an all over tissue check after a beach and walking holiday where she had had full licence to free run and play as a normal dog. Treatment 4 today showed tissues in excellent condition, well balanced, no tissue quality disturbances or injury at all. A year later Nelly is still in fine fettle.

Poppit hated being groomed, bites with no warning, had sudden reactions with ‘no reason’, and the owner was wary of having their children anywhere near the horse. The history of the horse was unknown. Poppet was treated with Bowen technique. Although in a calm yard her tissue responses showed Poppet was on red alert, full on flight mode. Bowen technique being so uninvasive was perfect for Poppit. She allowed me to do a substantial treatment and her tissues responded well. Energetically the front of her chest was blown wide open like she was constantly in a full blown panic attack. The disruption and quality of her muscle and fascia was that of having received a full frontal blunt impact to the front of the chest. Being ‘blown open’ there means she would experience everything in her environment as if she had absolutely no protection from it. After 4 treatments the owner reported Poppit was OK being touched but not groomed, after 6 treatments Poppit was calmer and could sustain more contact. By the 8th treatment her chest area had totally calmed, the damaged muscle and fascia were almost back to a full healthy state and the family experienced Poppet as much more tolerant, calmer and manageable.

Mito was tetchy, didn’t like people near him, and had an odd habit of standing with his left hind leg stuck out in the air behind him.

First Bowen moves revealed Mito was riddled in lice. No wonder so tetchy. His coat was patchy and dull, skin showing through is a handful of places, his head held low, eyes dull and he looked pretty miserable in himself. Mito presented with scar tissue within the head of his hamstrings, such as that from severe micro tears in the muscle. Old injury. This was locking the whole head of the hamstring. These tissues responded so favourably to Bowen releases that they immediately showed the capacity to function better. It only took two more Bowen treatments to see Mito walking smoothly and losing his odd habit. Vet treatment cleared away his unwanted friends and it wasn’t long before Mito was looking far healthier and happier.

Sassafras was diagnosed with a life limiting autoimmune disorder. Only 3 years old her body atrophied rapidly under heavy steroid medication. Walking and movement became more limited and she was treated with Shiatsu to strengthen and help free what muscle she had left. Treatment was palliative but the increased flexion and mobility of her tissues allowed her to get around for longer and Sassafras had notably better balance and stability after treatments. Her joints became more relaxed and pliable, her feet could flex to stand on her paws instead of being clawed and unusable. Treatment undoubtedly added to the comfort of her body and helped her prolong her mobility against the odds of her condition.