Named after Tom Bowen who was a self proclaimed osteopath from Australia. Treated many people with his soft tissue remedial therapy that involves using fingers or thumbs to move over muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia. As relaxing and gentle as the pressure is, it is not known as a massage technique, but can create like responses.
During a session the therapist will carefully manipulate the soft tissue and then leave the room, giving the muscle time to decide where it belongs. It is said the “Bowen moves” tap into the body’s inherent ability to regulate and stimulate healing. The stretch on the golgi tendon reflexes as well as the joint proprioceptors heightens the body’s sensory awareness. This allows the areas of manipulation to release and conform to its natural state.
Makes me think of Myofascial Release (MFR), but maybe utilizing specific sets of “Bowen moves” can be one more tool in a massage therapists’ holster.
Other structural and postural integration approaches:
Soma, Rolfing, Hellerwork, Bindegewebs massage, Looyen and Pfrimmer.
