# Bowen technique

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Alternative type of physical manipulation

For the sheep shearing technique, see [Sheep shearing](/source/Sheep_shearing).

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The **Bowen technique** (or Bowen therapy) is an [alternative](/source/Alternative_medicine) type of [physical manipulation](/source/Physical_manipulation) named after Australian Thomas Ambrose Bowen (Tom Bowen) (1916–1982).

There is no clear evidence that the technique is a useful medical intervention.[1]

## History

Bowen had no formal medical training[2] and described his approach as a "gift from God".[3] He referred to himself as an [osteopath](/source/Osteopath) and tried to join the Australian register of osteopaths in 1981 but did not qualify for the title.[4] He died as an unlicensed practitioner of manual therapy.[5] In 1973 Bowen himself had referred to his ability to "average 65 patients per day", yet the technique as it is commonly practiced today is unlikely to achieve that volume.[5]

Bowen did not document his technique, so its practice after his death has followed one or other differing interpretation of his work.[5] It was not until some years after his death that the term "Bowen Technique" was coined. The technique goes by a wide variety of other names, including Smart Bowen, Fascial Kinetics, Integrated Bowen Therapy, Neurostructural Integration Technique (NST), Fascial Bowen, and Bowenwork.[5] The technique has been popularized by some of the six men who observed him at work, including Oswald Rentsch, an osteopath[6] whose interpretation has become the dominant, but not unchallenged, form.[5] Learning this technique requires 120 hours of instruction,[7] or as little as a weekend workshop.[8]

## Method

Recipients are generally fully clothed. Each session typically involves gentle rolling motions across the [muscles](/source/Human_musculoskeletal_system), [tendons](/source/Tendon), and [fascia](/source/Fascia).[9] The therapy's distinctive features are the minimal nature of the physical intervention and pauses incorporated in the treatment.[10] Proponents claim these pauses allow the body to "reset" itself.[3]

## Effectiveness

In 2015, the [Australian Government's Department of Health](/source/Department_of_Health_(Australia)) published the results of a review of alternative therapies that sought to determine if any were suitable for being covered by [health insurance](/source/Health_insurance); Bowen Technique was one of 17 therapies evaluated for which no clear evidence of effectiveness was found.[1] [Quackwatch](/source/Quackwatch) includes "Neuro-Structural Integration Technique (Bowen Therapy)" in its list of "questionable treatments."[11]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-aus17_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-aus17_1-1) Baggoley C (2015). ["Review of the Australian Government Rebate on Natural Therapies for Private Health Insurance"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160626024750/http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/0E9129B3574FCA53CA257BF0001ACD11/$File/Natural%20Therapies%20Overview%20Report%20Final%20with%20copyright%2011%20March.pdf) (PDF). Australian Government – Department of Health. Archived from [the original](http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/0E9129B3574FCA53CA257BF0001ACD11/$File/Natural%20Therapies%20Overview%20Report%20Final%20with%20copyright%2011%20March.pdf) (PDF) on 26 June 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2015. - Lay summary in: Gavura, S. (19 November 2015). ["Australian review finds no benefit to 17 natural therapies"](https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/australian-review-finds-no-benefit-to-17-natural-therapies). *Science-Based Medicine*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Walsh_2-0)** Walsh, Nancy (2002). "Touch therapy may thaw frozen shoulder (Small Study of Bowen Technique)". *Family Practice News* (15).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Dummies_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Dummies_3-1) Young, J (2007). *Complementary Medicine For Dummies*. [For Dummies](/source/For_Dummies). pp. [257–8](https://books.google.com/books?id=LH2gD6eQnZAC&pg=PA257). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-470-02625-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-470-02625-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Matthews, K (1999-04-03). "Healing Hands - About Tom Bowen". *[Geelong Advertiser](/source/Geelong_Advertiser)*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-rev_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-rev_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-rev_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-rev_5-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-rev_5-4) Pennington, Katrina (2012). ["Bowen Therapy: a review of the profession"](http://www.bowenseminars.com.au/bowen-therapy-a-review-of-the-profession/). *Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society*. **18** (4): 217.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Shealy, C. Norman (1996). [*The complete family guide to alternative medicine: an illustrated encyclopedia of natural healing*](https://books.google.com/books?id=m_WQmSXcFFYC&q=oswald+rentsch+osteopath). Barnes Noble Books. p. 47. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0760702390](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0760702390). In 1974 he invited osteopath and manual therapist Oswald Rentsch to study and document the method.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Knaster_7-0)** Knaster, M (1996). "Bowen Technique". *Discovering the Body's Wisdom*. [Random House](/source/Random_House). pp. [338–41](https://books.google.com/books?id=zLdAGUCyHGwC&pg=PT338). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0553373277](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0553373277).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-weekend_8-0)** Clarke, Stephen (2012). ["A Textbook of Bowen Technique (*Book review*)"](http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=950662435332713;res=IELHEA). *Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society*. **18** (4): 245.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Bowen Unravelled, A journey into the Fascial Understanding of The Bowen Technique, Lotus Publishing, 2013 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-58394-765-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-58394-765-4)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Andrea, Kargel-Schwanhaeusser (2012). "General features and quality of Bowen therapy". *European Journal of Integrative Medicine*. **4**: 189. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.eujim.2012.07.919](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.eujim.2012.07.919).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-qw_11-0)** ["Index of Questionable Treatments"](http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/treatmentindex.html). [Quackwatch](/source/Quackwatch). Retrieved 4 August 2016.

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