The client attended for Bowen Therapy to help with longstanding lower back pain that had been present for many years following a 20-year nursing career, much of which took place before manual handling training was commonplace. Swimming helped to keep the pain manageable and, when it flared up, she would occasionally take painkillers. She also experienced restricted neck movement and mild neck pain. Apart from arthritis in her hands and ulcerative colitis, she was otherwise in good health.
At the initial appointment, the client described a constant dull ache across both sides of the lower lumbar spine, rating it as 2/10, although it would regularly increase to 4–5/10 during flare-ups. She also experienced discomfort beneath both shoulder blades around the latissimus dorsi and into the upper trapezius muscles. A significant functional difficulty was getting out of bed each morning, as she had to roll onto her side before being able to stand. Neck pain was rated at 2–3/10, with rotation limited to approximately 30 degrees to each side. The client was relaxed throughout the Bowen treatment.
At the second appointment, the client reported that she had completed a considerable amount of driving over the weekend but had felt surprisingly well. Although her lower back pain remained at 2/10, she felt it was noticeably more comfortable and had not needed any pain relief. The most significant change was functional, she was now able to get out of bed by pushing up with her legs instead of rolling first. Her husband had even commented that she looked “a little bit more flexible.” Her neck pain had completely resolved (0/10) and neck rotation had improved to approximately 70 degrees to each side.
By the third session, following another long return drive to Coventry, the client continued to report feeling well. For the first time in several years, she described her lower back as being completely pain free (0/10), with only a slight feeling of stiffness remaining. Getting out of bed had become easy and she no longer needed to roll before standing. Her neck pain remained absent, and she was now able to comfortably turn her head to look fully over each shoulder. Reflecting on her progress, she smiled and commented that “the sceptic has now become a believer.”
One week after the final treatment, the client provided further feedback, confirming that the improvements had continued. She reported being completely pain free in her lower back, with no remaining stiffness. She was able to get out of bed and stand immediately without rolling, something she had not been able to do for years. Her neck pain had also resolved, with only the occasional minor twinge. She concluded by saying, “Thank you so much for letting me be your case study. I feel so much easier.”
This case study demonstrates how Bowen Therapy may help reduce longstanding musculoskeletal pain, improve mobility and restore everyday function, even where symptoms have been present for many years.