Alignment
“An injury in one part of the body will always have an effect on the tension patterns of the whole system.”
-Kelly Clancy, Tensegrity Medicine.
Rotated Pelvis
Misaligned pelvic bones can result in scoliosis, lumbar vertebrae rotations, nerve compression (e.g., sciatica) and chronic back, hip, knee, neck, shoulder, neck or referred pain. For some of the conditions associated with misaligned ilium, sacrum, and hip joints, read Madeline’s blog post on the back pain-musculoskeletal alignment connection.
A misaligned pelvis affects the entire musculoskeletal structure. Neuromuscular therapy releases the hypertonic muscles, balances muscle tension, frees the compressed nerves, and restores pelvis and vertebrae alignment.
Single-sided anterior pelvis rotation can cause excruciating sciatic pain. Severe thigh muscle tightness is a common cause of anterior pelvis rotation. Read Madeline’s blog post on the thigh muscle-back pain connection.
IF YOU HAVE FALLEN on your pelvis, after medical treatment contact Madeline by email or phone as soon as possible. Don’t wait until muscle tightness, leg length discrepancy and functional scoliosis potentially lead to long term issues such as osteoarthritis and chronic pain.
Neck Pain
Severe neck and upper back muscle tension may pull the cervical vertebrae out of alignment and compress skull bones. Pinched trigeminal and cervical nerves then generate headaches, vertigo, tinnitus, and more. Stretching can tear tight muscle fibers, creating inflammation and more pain.
This combination of Applied Myoskeletal Therapy (AMT) and Bowen Therapy gently releases the tension without needles, pressure on sensitive nerves and blood vessels or stretching.
Temporomandibular Joint & Muscle Disorder (TMD)
Jaw pain and difficulty opening & closing one’s mouth indicate that jaw muscles may be too tight, pushing the condyles (joints) out of alignment. This can occur due to a fall or blow to the head, bruxism (teeth grinding), or an extended session in the dentist’s chair.
A less obvious impact of asymmetrical pterygoid muscle tension connecting the upper and lower jaws is that it can pull the sphenoid bone behind the eyes out of optimal alignment. This in turn may stress the optic nerves passing through the sphenoid bone, potentially contributing to glaucoma and other vision issues. Several clients with glaucoma have had improved vision field test results after their sphenoid bones were aligned, as documented by their optometrists.
The pituitary gland hangs from a stalk and sits in the base of the sphenoid bone under the optic nerves. This master gland helps regulate hormones. Concussion can damage the pituitary gland, causing mood and hormone problems.
TMD and Craniosacral therapies will ensure that jaw muscle tension is balanced and that the sphenoid bone is aligned.
Joint Pain
When individual muscles attached to shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and ankle joints are abnormally tight, unbalanced tension on the joint may generate intense pain and eventually osteoarthritis. Conventional practice is to stretch or roll tight muscles. However, contracted, knotted or strained muscle fibers do not stretch. Aggressive therapy may tear muscle fibers, generating more pain and inflammation.
Instead, a combo of Bowen Therapy and AMT is used to gently release hypertonic muscles and take the pressure off nerves so that the body can rebalance and heal.
Testimonials
“After three months of physio two times per week for sciatica, I had no pain relief. I had ONE session with Madeline and I was pain-free for 1.5 months. Still following up for more improvement and maintenance.” D.B., 2023
“Until I visited Madeline, I had been living with chronic hip pain for five to seven years; as a result last winter I contracted sciatica. In an effort to find some relief I consulted physiotherapists, a chiropractor, osteopath, massage therapist and an acupuncturist, but nothing even came close to the results I received from Madeline. From the first visit, I finally felt the relief I had been searching for, all with the gentleness that Bowen therapy and Applied Myoskeletal Therapy offers. Since then, I have recommended her to all my friends, family and colleagues. Madeline's practice is unparalleled and I'm so grateful she has been able to help my hip and sciatica, and improve my overall quality of life. Thank you Madeline!” G.M., 2019
“I hurt my back three years ago lifting a box, and had been struggling with the effects ever since. My hips, legs and back were so stiff there were times I could barely move and I frequently re-injured myself. My day-to-day was very painful. I did more than 9 months of intensive physiotherapy and massage therapy with no positive results—they treated the muscle tension, but not the underlying causes. It is also difficult to strengthen problem areas if there is no range of motion. After 5 sessions with Madeline, I have full range of motion in my back, hips and shoulders. My pain level has decreased to near zero. It was a targeted, non-invasive treatment that really worked to release the muscles that were causing the underlying problems and alignment issues. I am also very impressed with how the treatment sticks—the pain hasn't come back. I can't believe how good I feel! Thank you Madeline!” B.D., 2020
“I have a lot of falls. Bowen Therapy resolved my recent whiplash much more quickly (2 sessions) than physio. I immediately have Bowen first thing after my next fall because I trust it will work again. I highly recommend Bowen for anyone with epilepsy.” L. A., 2016
“In July 2016 I injured my neck and shoulder on a trip. At home the pain continued and even worse, I could no longer turn my head to the left to do a shoulder check while driving. I went to the chiropractor three times a week from mid-September until the end of October. At the same time, at his recommendation, I was also getting weekly massages and doing neck exercises (which hurt). After six weeks of intensive therapy my neck mobility was not getting any better. In November I went back to the doctor and got a prescription for physiotherapy—that did not help either. After just three sessions with Madeline in November and December my neck unlocked and the pain was diminishing. Madeline takes the time to explain what is happening and lets you know what to expect. I strongly recommend her services.” B.S., 2018
“When skating last winter I fell and broke my arm. After the cast was removed, I developed severe pain at 10+ on a scale of 0—10 in my neck and left shoulder, radiating down into my bicep. My right shoulder was painful as well. The pain was so bad that I couldn't sleep. I had four sessions with a physiotherapist who wanted me to start lifting weights, but would or could not do anything about the severe pain. I went to see Madeline who thought that muscle tension in the shoulders and base of the neck was compressing nerves. At the end of the second session with Madeline the pain was 0. I slept on my left shoulder, so the pain came back at a level of 7 or 8. However, after the third session, and after changing my sleeping position, I could finally sleep through the night.” C.F., Pilates Instructor, 2019
“If you have muscle or joint pain, or any other, for that matter, I highly recommend McBride Pain Clinic. In early August, I injured my hip flexor muscle and probably some ligaments and tendons. By October, in spite of a small fortune spent on chiropractic treatment, the pain continued to grow excruciating until I was avoiding putting any weight on that leg. An X-ray showed much fluid inside my hip joint. After two sessions with Madeline McBride, the pain was gone. Another X-ray confirmed that the fluid had also disappeared. - A grateful client.” M.F., 2021
Madeline’s Note: It’s commonly understood that muscle tension can compress nerves, pull one’s skeletal structure out of alignment, and restrict range of motion. But did you know that muscle tension can indirectly affect functions of the body? For example, a too tight diaphragm can restrict full expansion of lungs on inhalation. The colon, a muscle, can spasm and restrict flow, contributing to constipation and infection. Below is a testimonial related to diverticulitis, a painful infection in the colon.
“First time I had a bout of diverticulitis, I spent hours in the hospital and then took two antibiotics for 10 days. It took several days for the pain to start to diminish. This was followed by several other occurrences every few months. Then I went to Madeline, and after one Bowen Therapy treatment I was pain free within 24 hours. The pain was still there right after the treatment, but subsided substantially by morning, much less that afternoon and totally gone by the following morning. Bowen is much more effective and healthy than taking antibiotics and suffering for days.” M.B., 2015
Six years later, M.B. added this: “When I was out of province and could not see Madeline when my diverticulitis flared up, I ended up on antibiotics again. I am 100% positive that what Madeline does has a direct influence on me not getting the pain, severe infection and need for antibiotics. And anybody who suffers from recurring diverticulitis would be grateful for this.” M.B., 2021