EBONY’S STORY – (Post injury trauma after a broken leg)

by Belinda Pasfield, Carwoola, NSW

October 2010

My daughter Ebony is 10 years old.  She has recently changed school, lives out of town on a small rural property, loves sport and adores her horse Amber.  She is a shy and sensitive kid who is quiet and unassuming.

In May 2009 Ebony was riding Amber on a trail ride when she was kicked by another horse. The kick connected with her shin and Ebony sustained a broken leg.  A week after the accident, and when the swelling had subsided, we went to get a cast put on Ebony’s leg. Before the cast was fitted we had another X-ray.  This was a more comprehensive X-ray than any of her previous ones were and it was found that she had also fractured her ankle.  Ebony was in a cast and on crutches for nine weeks.  She was unable to put any pressure on her ankle and for a very active and mobile little girl, found those nine weeks very long. She was unable to do soccer and for a while she was unable to ride her horse.

When the plaster was taken off, Ebony was very slow at getting things moving again.  She had quite a limp and quite a bit of muscle wastage in the leg she had broken.  She seemed to get along OK although seemed to be frustrated at not being able to do things with the pace and skill that she had before.  Over time her limp reduced to almost nothing.

At the beginning of Feb, Ebony started to develop a really sore leg, particularly in her quad and calf muscles.  This was not the broken leg so initially I was not too worried.  Some six weeks later she was extremely sore and massage, hot and cold packs and even Panadol did not give her any relief. It was extremely painful at night when she went to bed.  She became very unhappy and withdrawn and extremely frustrated.  She got to the point where she had a consistent limp and the leg was simply too sore to touch.

About this time a good friend, Narelle Heywood, suggested we go and see Ian Dixon and try Bowen therapy to help Ebony.  We are very glad and grateful that we did.

At the first treatment Ebony was very shy and very sore.  She did not attempt to make any conversation with Ian and she was extremely guarded about anything she might be asked to do with her leg.  After I had told Ian about Ebony’s broken leg history, and after some time both examining and talking to Ebony, Ian told us he felt Ebony was compensating for her broken leg and had got herself in quite a mess. I didn’t mention to Ian that for Ebony this was both physical and emotional as I believed we were there to help her physical complaints.

In a quiet and unassuming manner he treated Ebony, making the time for her to be comfortable.  She hardly uttered a word.  Ian then booked us in for a week later, told Ebony to drink lots of water and alerted me to some of things Ebony may feel, noting that everyone was different and had a different reaction to Bowen.

Over the next couple of days Ebony become a much happier little girl, she was not crying of aches and pains before bed and her limp was completely gone within four days, all really without her knowledge. She just wasn’t thinking about it anymore. It had just happened. 

 We went to have another consultation with Ian and this time Ebony was like a different girl.  She chatted with Ian constantly and was completely comfortable in his treatment and company.

I spoke to Ian about the wonderful improvement in Ebony’s confidence and demeanour.  She had really come out of her shell and it felt like she was really healing both her physical and emotional self.  I could tell he was not surprised in the least.

I am very sure that Bowen therapy and Ian, in particular, were responsible for this great healing process that my daughter had experienced.  She continues to improve and is much more like her happy and confident self before the accident.  Although her bones had healed I just never felt that she had healed completely and she was definitely not balanced or relaxed in herself either physically or emotionally.

I would recommend Bowen treatment for everyone.  It is non invasive, comfortable and the benefits are truly wonderful.  You have nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain.  I was so impressed I now visit Ian for treatment myself.

Many thanks Ian.