Piano Teacher No Longer Afflicted by Tennis Elbow

As a professional piano teacher, M plays and demonstrates piano playing several hours every day, and has done so for over 15 years. Recently, she developed a pain in her lower right arm with a painful pinch in the elbow joint. It quickly got worse to the point where she couldn’t play the piano at all without pain.

Her GP diagnosed tennis elbow and prescribed anti-inflammatories and advised rest, but as a self-employed piano teacher, M couldn’t just stop. The NHS advice was that it could take up to 18 months for her tennis elbow to heal. M was feeling very discouraged, and by now, the pain was affecting her sleep quality.

A friend recommended she speak to Juan at Paloma Bowen Therapy to see if Bowen might help. She didn’t know anything about Bowen but was willing to try it, given her alternative. Juan’ professional approach benefited from the fact that he had also suffered from tennis elbow in the past, and Bowen had helped him heal in a matter of just a few weeks (nowhere near 18 months!).

After just three treatment sessions, spread out over a three-week period, M found the pain had progressively receded to the point where she could play and practise quite normally. Today, her tennis elbow pain has completely gone and in much less time than she had expected.

Many professional musicians experience pain as a result of the particular movements involved in playing their instrument, with the constant repetition and long hours of practice. M would gladly recommend Paloma Bowen Therapy, and in particular Juan, to any of her professional colleagues; especially those who don’t have the luxury of a long recovery period, which other treatments and therapies might advise.

Restricted Shoulder and Tennis Elbow

My work is very manual and involves lots of different movements, from lifting and carrying, to reaching and holding things tightly. Over time, my shoulder had become increasingly problematic to the point where any movement was limited and painful.

Alongside this, my elbow had started to become painful, and most noticeably when I gripped anything. Even a handshake became impossible without causing pain!

I tried physio and other treatments, such as heat and ice packs, and was taking painkillers daily to manage the pain – something I didn’t want to do. Nothing was working.

Having reached the point where my job was becoming unmanageable, I was told about Bowen Therapy by a friend, who recommended Juan at Paloma to me. I hadn’t heard of Bowen before and was a little sceptical about whether it could help, but my GP had told me that tennis elbow and shoulder pain could take up to two years to heal itself!!

Juan was very caring and understanding of my situation, and reassured me that although shoulder injuries can take a long time to heal, that Bowen was likely to improve my situation. He was right! Immediately after the first session I was able to shake his hand and lift my arm above my shoulder level without pain – an hour earlier this would have been impossible.

Juan treated me over several weeks (with gaps in between) and after each session my tennis elbow and painful shoulder continued to improve. It’s now 6-months later and I am completely pain free and able to do all that my job requires without any problems. I still can’t believe just how much things have changed.

I can’t recommend Juan highly enough. I’ve since been back for further treatment on my lower back, as I pulled a muscle working with heavy equipment. Again, after just one session, I feel much better and believe my back will be back to normal in no time.

AP