Q1: Madeline, why do you consider yourself an expert in aligning a pelvis?
If it is a muscle damage issue (not a bone issue), I am confident I have the skillset and experience to restore alignment. In eight years I have only encountered one pelvis I could not realign: the woman had fallen down the stairs, broken her pelvic bones in several places, and had had surgery to pin the broken bones together. I also cannot resolve osseous downslips. (Don’t bungie jump!)
Note: sometimes a jaw/neck issue is the origin, translating down the spine to the pelvis. I can release abnormal tension in neck and jaw muscles as well. However, jaw alignment may not hold if teeth are missing, the client grinds her teeth, or the jaw has been dislocated or broken.
Q2: Why is it important for a pelvis to be aligned?
A very good question. The hip consists of a ball and socket joint. When an ilium is not aligned, the Greater trocanter or “ball” of the femur (thigh bone) will not seat properly in the ilium (hip) socket. The result is wear and tear of the socket lining (bursitis, labral tear), bone rubbing on bone causing osteoarthritis, and eventually so much bone deterioration and pain that a hip replacement may be necessary.
At the same time, the misalignment of the pelvis ilia (i.e., one ilium bone higher than the other) causes the bony extensions of the lower lumbar vertebrae L3, L4, L5 to be tilted. Those tilted transverse processes of the vertebrae may compress the nerves exiting the spine, causing sciatica. If a person is very unlucky, asymmetrical compression of the misaligned lumbar vertebrae can cause bulging discs. Even worse, vertebral compression can result in herniated discs for which surgery is required. To summarize, pelvis bones pulled out of alignment by muscle damage and resulting tension is commonly the CAUSE of osteoarthritis, sciatica/back pain, and bulging or herniated discs. The origin of the pain and deterioration is pelvic bone and vertebrae misalignment.
At the same time, an improperly-seated femur can cause leg length discrepancy, lopsided muscle tension issues, and asymmetrical compression of the thigh’s femur where it meets the lower leg’s tibia, all of which can eventually lead to the need for a knee replacement on that same side.
Unfortunately most in the medical profession are not trained in biomechanics. An exception is Wolf Schamberger, MD, a Canadian physiatrist, engineer, and university professor who wrote Read My Hips. In his book he explains the biomechanics of misalignment to the general public. Unfortunately Dr. Schamberger advocates stretching to resolve misalignment, which in practice does not hold. To effectively restore full muscle function, a therapist must rather address muscle damage using manual manipulation techniques. I cannot treat everyone (!) so will teach massage therapists how I accomplish this. You can read my take on misalignment in my blog posts.
Q3: How many sessions will it take to solve my problem?
If your injury is recent, I suggest booking four sessions, two weeks apart, over a period of two months. However, most people I see have complex, long term issues, and more sessions will be needed. For example, in the case of a car accident, resolving concussion and all the injuries to neck, jaw, shoulders, back, pelvis and limbs will take longer. If your body has been misaligned for years, after your body is aligned a maintenance session every three months is advisable.
Other Therapies
If you have other bodywork therapies while seeing me, you WILL take longer to heal. If I had to estimate how many more sessions a client needed who did not comply with my “no other bodywork policy”(and continued to have contraindicated treatments by massage therapists, osteopaths, chiropractors or physiotherapists) I’d say the client would need at least triple the normal number of sessions with me. This is because I’d constantly have to repair the damage caused by other therapies. In addition to the extra cost of more sessions, the client would pay dearly in experiencing many more months of continued pain and dysfunction.
Exercise
In cases of reinjury, ill-advised exercise is a common culprit. My typical question to a client might be: “How on earth did you reinjure this muscle?” Then s/he will sheepishly admit they went for physio or to the fitness center “because I had booked the trainer.” One client went hiking in the hills. Several insisted on competing in gymnastics, cross-country skiing, canoe races, etc. Several continued to play sports. “It’s the finals.” They injured synergistic muscles that were compensating for injured muscle tissue.
To be blunt, don’t book with me if you insist on having other bodywork, or do aggressive stretching routines, or strenuously exercise. You will NOT get better faster by doing that. You may get worse (and weirdly, decide my treatment is not working.) Damaged muscle tissue needs time to heal without risk of reinjury.
Q4: Why do you say no to TENS?
Bowen Therapy addresses the nervous system and the musculature system. While you are seeing me, TENS, ultrasound, shockwave and laser therapies and any other modality that blast the nervous system and muscles with various energy frequencies are contraindicated. Combining one of those other therapies with Bowen Therapy creates interference, like static in one of those old time radios. A clear signal cannot get through or is being cancelled. If you are not making progress, that’s a valid reason why. Acupuncture (except if electricity is used), acupressure, homeopathy, oral and topical pain relief medications, etc. are fine.
Q5: What then can I do to encourage my healing?
As well as rest, you absolutely need to drink plenty of water to flush out the tissues, follow a nutritious diet, and walk to ensure the blood circulatory system and lymphatic drainage system eliminate waste products from damaged tissue. Walking activates the calf muscles, which are the “pumps” for the lymphatic drainage system.
Q6: Are there any side effects to your treatment?
You may have temporary pain while your body realigns. You will be tired. I tell clients that they can either heal or exercise — a body in repair mode does not have the energy to do both.