The research reports on this page are alphabetized according to the specific condition under investigation (or, in a few instances, the novel type of instrumentation used to measure changes).
Each citation is followed by a brief summary of the article, the number of pages in it, and one or more abbreviations indicating the type of study. For a key to the study types (e.g., A = Anecdote, SR = Systemic Review), click here.
Clicking on a title will open the article in a new window on your device, where you can read it on-screen or, if you prefer, print and/or save it for reading later. Closing the document window will return you to this page.
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| Anxiety, Biofeedback | Bowenwork, biofeedback and anxiety. Rick Wurster. Bowen Hands, March 2018, pp 5-8. ** Utilizes partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) as an indicator of oxygenation of tissues and cells. The female subject's pCO2 increased more during Bowenwork BRM1 and BRM2 procedures than during previous mindfulness diaphragmatic breath training with biofeedback. Her breathing rate also slowed more with Bowen. Discusses implications for further research. 4pp. CR, DM |
| Bedwetting | Treating bedwetting, parts 1 and 2. Charlotte Meerman. Bowen Hands, March 2014, pp 16-19, and June, 2014, pp 14-17. ** Theories about factors in bedwetting in children, results of 10 cases involving children ages 6 - 14. 8pp. CS |
| Childbirth, newborns | My Baby Bowen log book. Jane Murphy. Bowen Hands, June 2013, pp 5-6. ** Twelve records from a hospital-based midwife's log of using Bowenwork before, during and (especially) after delivery, where it helps establish healthy sucking. 2pp. A |
| Concussion | Bowen as sports medicine: safely resolving post-concussion syndrome (PCS). Craig Mattimoe. Bowen Hands, Sept 2005, pp 3-5. ** Summary of 33 consecutive cases of medically diagnosed, symptomatic sports-induced concussion in high school and college athletes, ages 15-29, who were restricted from practice and play. Thirty (90.9 %) of them experienced symptomatic resolution within 72 hours. Thirty-two (96.9 %) safely returned to play post-treatment with no ill effects. 3pp. CS |
| Concussion | Bowen therapy for concussion resolution in young male athletes: a case-series research proposal. Sandra Gustafson and Jenna Howe. 2014 ** Includes: 7 pages of background and details about methodology for the proposed research on male athletes ages 14-30; 2 pages of references; 11 pages of forms to be used in study. 20pp. CS proposal |
| Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome | The role of narrative medicine in the management of joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type. Isobel Knight. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part C (Seminars in Medical Genetics),169C, 2015, pp 123–129. ** A discussion of the importance of narrative medicine in cases of this complex multi-system disorder, written from the point of view of the JHS/EDS-HT patient, who is also a Bowen practitioner and a medical writer/educator. 7pp. NR |
| Frozen shoulder | A pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of Bowen technique in the management of clients with frozen shoulder. Bernie Carter. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, Jan 2002, 9(4), pp 208-215. ** Each of 20 individuals’ unaffected arm served as "control" for comparison. 80% showed improvement in pain and range of motion. 8pp. CT |
| Frozen shoulder | Clients’ experiences of frozen shoulder and its treatment with Bowen technique. Bernie Carter. Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery, 2002, vol 8, issue 4, pp 204-210. ** Detailed reports from 20 patients with frozen shoulder, some long-standing, with positive results. No participants withdrew from the study (unusual in frozen shoulder research). 7pp. CT |
| Hamstring flexibility | Comparative study between the effectiveness of Bowen technique and dynamic soft tissue mobilization in increasing hamstring flexibility. Saroj Kumar Yadav. Dissertation toward master of physiotherapy (MPT) in musculoskeletal disorders and sports physiotherapy at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India, Jan 2013. ** 30 subjects in each group; 37.9% improvement in active knee extension from Bowen, compared to 24.7% improvement from the other therapy. 123 pp. RCT |
| Infant colic | Babies and colic. Marcela Campian and Georgi Ilchev, Bowen Hands, June 2013, pp 8-11. ** Reporting separately: Campian achieved full recovery in 81% among 67 Romanian infants; Ilchev achieved 62% recovery among 44 Bulgarian infants. Discussion of factors influencing results. 4pp. CS |
| Lymphedema | A pilot study on Bowenwork for symptom management of women breast cancer survivors with lymphedema. Christine Hansen. 2012 doctoral dissertation, Univ. of Arizona College of Nursing ** Twenty women with unilateral upper arm lymphedema experienced significant improvement in mental health, quality of life, functional status, reduction in arm circumference and increased shoulder ROM. 195pp. PS |
| Meniere's disease | Coccyx/neck procedure saves the day. Joanne Hillary. Bowen Hands, Dec 2013, p 10. ** After seven years of keeping symptoms of Meniere's disease under control with Bowen, this naturopath’s use of the coccyx-neck procedure, which had not worked previously, resolves an acute attack. 1p. CR |
| Microscopy | Cellular change with Bowen technique. Kay Stammers, Bowen Hands, March 2012, pp 16-17. ** Changes in clumping of red blood cells and signs of calcemia before and after Bowen sessions, as evidence of energetic changes. 2 pp. DM |
| Migraine | Bowenwork for migraine relief: a case report. Sandra Gustafson. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, V9, N1, March 2016, pp 19-28. ** Documents changes in one woman's life-long migraine pattern (and neck pain from auto accidents) through 14 Bowenwork sessions over a four-month period. The need for analgesics dropped from 10-12 per day to none in spite of two acute health problems. 41 references. Bronze award winner of the 2014 Massage Therapy Foundation’s practitioner case report contest. 10pp. CR |
| Migraine | Breaking the migraine pattern with the Bowen technique. Positive Health Online, case study issue 108. ** UK practitioner describes the response of two clients with frequent migraines: a nine-year-old boy averaging one attack per month and a 46-year old woman who had averaged three attacks per week for the previous 29 years. 2pp. CS |
| Pain, upper body | More than surprised. Marg Spicer. Bowen Hands, Dec 1998, p 16. ** A 32-year-old male presents with constant and severe upper-body pain that has not responded to years of medication, including cortisone shots. A series of 11 Bowen sessions resolves his case. 1p. CR |
| Pain, PTSD | Working with the Soldiers. Ginny Hahn. Bowen Hands, Dec 2009, pp 12-13. ** A Bowen practitioner's volunteer work in a physical therapy clinic on a U.S. Army base in Texas, with 22 men and women suffering primarily from pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 2pp. CS |
| Schizophrenia | Treating schizophrenia. John Minchin-King. Bowen Hands, June 2015, pp 16-17. ** Six weeks after a client's second session (for elbow pain and leg spasms), she returns for more Bowen because her schizophrenia symptoms, which disappeared by the end of the second session after more than 20 years, have begun to re-emerge. Minchin-King's review of his session notes and his client's reports of changes enable him to determine the optimal Bowen moves and timing to keep her symptom-free. 2pp. CR |
| Sciatica | Treating sciatica. Victoria Bowmann. Bowen Hands, Dec 1997, p 16. ** Two concise cases of sciatica. Article uses the original procedure page numbers (1, 2 and 3) for what are now called Lower Back, Upper Back and Neck or, collectively, the Basic Relaxation Moves. 1p. CS |
| Sciatica | Treating sciatica with the Bowen technique. John Stephens. Bowen Hands, Part A: Dec 2005, pp 3-4, Part B: Mar 2006, pp 16-17. ** Part A provides background information; Part B describes case series with 49 clients presenting with symptoms of sciatica. Eighty percent reported being pain-free after four Bowen sessions. 4 pp. CS |
| Seizures | Seizure protocol: a four-year case study. Alexia Monroe. Bowen Hands, June 2018, pp 18-19. ** At the start of his Bowen experience in December 2013, four-year-old Elliott was averaging a few seizures per week. They stopped early in the 10-session Bowen seizure protocol, delivered over a period of nine months, and Elliott was still seizure-free three years later. 2pp. CR |
| Seizures | Bowen seizure protocol. Liz Corbett. Bowen Hands, June 2011, p3. ** The individual results experienced by seven participants who received the Bowen seizure protocol (delivered in 9 sessions over a 6-month period). All reported a decrease in the number and intensity of seizures. 1p. CS |
| Stress | Introducing Bowen therapy into the public health service. Anna Dicker. Bowen Hands, Sept 2002, pp 5-7. ** The results of an initial survey of 17 community health workers who had received "on the run" Bowen in the previous 12 months (with 83% reporting significant reduction in stress) led to the establishment of a permanent clinic for staff and patients and the recognition of Bowen therapy by the regional New South Wales Area Health Service. 3pp, PS |
| Stress, physical ailments | Using Bowen technique in a health service work place to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of staff. Anna Dicker. Australian Journal of Holistic Nursing, Oct 2005, pp 35-42. ** A follow-up, more-formal survey of 28 co-workers who received Bowen over a period of six weeks. 8pp. PS |
| Systematic review | Bowenwork®: an effective therapeutic intervention? A systematic review. Sandra Gustafson. Poster presented at the 34th annual conference of the American Holistic Nurses Association, Portland, Oregon, June 5-8, 2014. ** 22 out of 316 citations met inclusion criteria (4 randomized clinical trials, 3 quasi-experimental, 3 mixed methods, 2 cross-sectional studies, 10 case studies). 62% found effective pain reduction, 43% increased quality of life/function. 1p. SR |
| Systematic Review | What is Bowenwork®? a systematic review. Christine Hansen and Ruth E. Taylor-Piliae. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 11, 2011, pp 1001-1006. ** Fifteen of 309 citations met the inclusion criteria (1 randomized clinical trial, 2 quasi-experimental, 3 mixed methods, 2 cross-sectional, 7 case studies). 53% reported effectiveness for pain reduction; 33% for improved mobility. Five reported the effectiveness on symptom relief in chronic illness, e.g., multiple sclerosis. 6pp. SR |
| Torticollis | Coccyx-neck. Narcisa Marcu. Bowen Hands, June 2015, pp 12-13. ** Although the 68-yr-old male client had improved ~90% from symptoms of severe torticollis (wry neck) over a period of 10 months, it was the 19th Bowen session that yielded dramatic change. Includes before and after MRIs. 2pp. CR |
| Traumatic brain injury (TBI) | Left me amazed. Catalina Acsinte. Bowen Hands, Sept 2013, p 3. ** A year after TC's emergency surgery for severe head trauma, he was still in a near-vegetative state. Five months later, after a few Bowen sessions, by which time he had begun talking and swallowing, this neurosurgeon performed surgery to correct the damaged skull. When TC's wound had not completely healed seven months later, Acsinte discovered well-organized bone regeneration at the surgery site and was amazed enough that she trained in Bowenwork. 2p. CR |
