Bad Back issues & Bowen Treatment

   Anecdotal evidence is completely useless when it comes to evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment.  How you do you know that you wouldn't have got better three weeks later anyway, without Bowen?
The only thing that you can really rely on are properly randomised, double blind, placebo controlled studies, not stories from other people.

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bustinben Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 15 Oct 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 288	Post Options Post Reply Quote bustinben Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Bad Back issues & Bowen Treatment Posted: 20 Dec 15 at 7:08pm
	Anecdotal evidence is completely useless when it comes to evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment. How you do you know that you wouldn't have got better three weeks later anyway, without Bowen? The only thing that you can really rely on are properly randomised, double blind, placebo controlled studies, not stories from other people.

NickA Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 30 Mar 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 784	Post Options Post Reply Quote NickA Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 18 Dec 15 at 7:23pm
	Try some Homeopathy too maybe? Jeremy Hunt thinks it works ... so it must be good! As far as sailing's concerned .. physio every time and stay away from GPs and Surgeons
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iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 02 Nov 15 at 5:13pm
	Got some more good news today, apparently they do race horses and more importantly my lady, Rebecca reckons she can do dogs, so Milo and I can both get sorted together..
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transient Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 21 Aug 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 715	Post Options Post Reply Quote transient Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Oct 15 at 10:42pm
	Many but not all joint or back problems can be alleviated by: Losing weight. Developing the muscles around the injury. ....Oh, if a placebo works then use it. I know we all like to think we're above such things but psychological effects influence us all.

craiggo Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 01 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1810	Post Options Post Reply Quote craiggo Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Oct 15 at 6:57pm
	I suffered a prolapsed disc at C5-6 a few years ago. A sports physio unlocked my shoulder over a 10wk period, and I had recurring problems for about 18months. Top spinal surgeon in the land (John Hutchinson) advised me just to try and carry on leading as normal a life as possible. He is sailor himself and knew I sailed but said unless symptoms get really bad ie. loss of bladder control, then just keep going. Interestingly most studies suggest if you can put up with it, then your body will generally sort itself out after a few years. Unfortunately its likely to be the athritis in my spine that will end up causing me problems.
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Oinks Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 24 Oct 14 Location: Bandol Online Status: Offline Posts: 267	Post Options Post Reply Quote Oinks Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Oct 15 at 6:11pm
	3rd visit to the osteopath today in 3 weeks. Put my neck, shoulder, and elbow out trying to lift a 400 mast into the boat by myself. Gave up the pills after a couple of weeks: the diazepam was interesting! Osteo now suspecting a prolapsed disc in my neck as being the source of the problem and a scan being arranged. So a few more weeks of extreme discomfort yet. Alcohol I'm afraid is the only way! So just off to Sainsburys....

BVS Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 31 Jul 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18	Post Options Post Reply Quote BVS Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Oct 15 at 12:41pm
	Easy to knock something like Bowen but it fixed my persistent Golfer's elbow which multiple visits to a Physio failed to do. Placebo? I don't think so - I was expecting Physio to work and I was highly doubtful about Bowen. As for medical studies, I've started ignoring those - is red wine good or bad for you this week?

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Oct 15 at 8:44am
	Not been near the NHS lately then dohertpk, I wouldn't go near it if you paid me money, their answer last time? Pump me full of steroids, Bowen fixed it in three weeks, not a single drug it's been cool ever since. Sports Physios? I know a few. Mostly kids at our club, products of Blairs University for everyman, I wouldn't go near them with a barge pole. The only thing that gets me near the modern medical world is being un conscious in an ambulance and then I break out as soon as I can get out of the neck brace and undo the restraints. Bowen works for me, it worked for a couple of other windsurfers I know and like acupuncture unless you try it you'll never know. (I"m not so convinced acupuncture is anything other than temporary relief by the way). Edited by iGRF - 30 Oct 15 at 8:58am
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dohertpk Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 28 Sep 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 172	Post Options Post Reply Quote dohertpk Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Oct 15 at 12:07am
	And best of luck with the recovery. Nothing worse than being kept off the water by pain. Is there nothing a physio could help with? I've been attending a sports physio for back and knee injuries (too much weight lifting, too little stretching), and I've found it immensely useful.

dohertpk Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 28 Sep 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 172	Post Options Post Reply Quote dohertpk Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Oct 15 at 12:05am
	There is next to no scientific evidence that Bowen has any therapeutic value. The trials that have been conducted have had small sample sizes, and they have not been methodologically rigorous. Any benefit you feel is likely to be a placebo effect. If this is costing you money, I would seriously advise against pursuing this line of treatment. Otherwise, you risk being exploited by people with no medical training, practicing a 'therapy' with next to no science backing it up. See this link for further info on the lack of evidence behind Bowen (the paucity of Cochrane and Pubmed references is particularly damning): https://apgaylard.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/bowen-therapy-all-fingers-and-thumbs/ You might also want to consult Quackwatch at www.quackwatch.org The latter is a good source if you're trying to figure out if the claims made by 'alternative' or 'complementary' therapies are justified by rigorous science. Personally, I wouldn't allow some fly-by-night to defraud me of my hard-earned cash, and I certainly wouldn't let some charlatan masquerading as a healer near by body.