Joana’s Bowen and Scar therapy

Home
United Kingdom
London
Joana’s Bowen and Scar therapy

Call Directions Website

Musculoskeletal therapy to help people with pain and discomfort during any stage of life. From birth Health

14/10/2026

As an oncology scar therapist, I wish more people knew that not all scar restrictions are visible.

After breast cancer or lymph node removal surgery, some people develop cording (Axillary Web Syndrome) — tight, rope-like bands that can extend from the armpit down the arm, sometimes as far as the wrist.

These cords can be thick and clearly visible, but they can also be thin and difficult to see. They may extend towards the chest wall or beneath the breast.

But here’s something else worth knowing: you can experience pulling and restricted movement without having cording at all.

Scar adhesions can tether the surrounding fascia, creating tension that travels far beyond the original incision.

This is why it’s so important to understand what is actually restricting your movement so it can be treated appropriately.

Recovery isn’t always as simple as “just stretch, exercise and eventually it will get better.”
Specialist hands-on scar therapy can help improve tissue mobility and reduce restrictions, alongside appropriate movement and exercise.

🩷 Share the knowledge. Someone recovering from breast cancer surgery might need to hear this.

06/10/2026

Did you find me through my conversation with Dr Liz O’Riordan on the podcast episode “How to Look After Your Breast Cancer Surgery Scars”?

Welcome—I’m so glad you’re here.
I’m Joana, a specialist oncology scar therapist, and I want to change the way we think about recovery after breast cancer treatment.

Awareness cannot stop at checking our breasts. We must also talk about the people learning to move forward in bodies changed by cancer treatment—especially those living with pain, tightness, swelling or restricted movement.

My hope is that one day, when someone asks their surgeon for help with a difficult scar, they might hear:
“I don’t have another surgical solution to offer, but specialist scar therapists are seeing encouraging results. It may be worth exploring.”

Scar therapy is still something many people have never heard of. Yet specialist support can make a meaningful difference to comfort, movement and quality of life.
On this page, I’ll share more about oncology scar therapy, the results people may experience and the specialised medical devices I use.

Please help me create change by liking, commenting and sharing. Send this to someone recovering from cancer treatment—or to a doctor, surgeon, nurse or physiotherapist.

Together, we can make scar support part of the conversation.

29/09/2026

A scar can look flat and beautifully healed on the surface — but that doesn’t always mean the tissues underneath are moving freely.

Watch what happens as she lifts her arm.
Instead of the skin gliding smoothly over the tissues underneath, you can see areas catching and creasing in a different direction to the muscle fibres.

After mastectomy and radiotherapy, scar tissue and fibrosis can create restrictions between tissue layers. This may contribute to that feeling of pulling, tightness or being “stuck” when reaching overhead.

Sometimes the answer isn’t simply more stretching or more exercise.
The scar itself may need attention.

If your scar feels tight or catches when you move, scar therapy can help assess how the different tissue layers are moving.

Save this and try looking at your scar while you slowly raise your arm.

28/09/2026

Hi, I’m Joana 👋 I’m a specialised Oncology Scar Therapist, and Deep Oscillation® is one of the devices I use to help me work more effectively with scar tissue.

Deep Oscillation® uses an electrostatic field that works deep within the tissues, making it particularly helpful for fibrosis after radiotherapy, scar adhesions, burns and contractures, cording, fat necrosis and areas of fluid build-up.

I combine it with hands-on scar therapy to help soften restricted tissue, improve movement and support lymphatic drainage around the scar.

✨ Swipe through to see some of the ways I use it in clinic.

Know someone struggling with tightness, swelling or discomfort after surgery or radiotherapy? Save this post or share it with them.

16/09/2026

What do cording, lymphoedema and scar tissue have in common?

We often hear about managing lymphoedema after lymph-node removal and cancer treatment. We also hear about specialised exercises to restore movement—and both are extremely important.
But one area that can be overlooked is the scar.

Surgery, radiotherapy and damage to the lymphatic system can leave tissues feeling firm, tight and restricted. Cording, lymphoedema and scar adhesions are different conditions, but they can overlap and affect movement, comfort and lymphatic drainage.

Scar tissue is common after surgery, and when it’s overlooked, treatment can go round in circles. That’s why I believe scar assessment and therapy should be a priority—not an afterthought.

By gently addressing restricted scar tissue alongside appropriate lymphoedema care and movement, we can help improve tissue mobility, comfort and function.

If you’re experiencing cording, swelling or restricted movement after cancer treatment, seek help from a qualified specialist—and please share this with someone who may need it.

15/09/2026

When stretching after a mastectomy or lumpectomy feels impossible…

Hi, I’m Joana, a specialist oncology scar therapist.

Gentle movement and stretching are an important part of recovery after breast surgery. But if lifting your arm creates pulling across your breast or chest, stretching harder may not be the answer.

If tightness or pain continues months—or even years—after surgery, the restriction may not be coming from the muscles alone.

A tight scar or adhesions beneath it can restrict how the skin and deeper tissues move. That’s why, in this video, I’m supporting the breast and scar area while my client gently lifts her arm.
When the scar is properly addressed, we can begin to identify where the restriction is coming from and work with the tissue—rather than repeatedly forcing through it.

Stretching should not cause pain. If it does, pushing harder may irritate already sensitive tissues without addressing what is limiting your movement.

Specialist scar therapy can help improve how the scar and surrounding tissues move, making everyday movements feel more comfortable.

If you’re still experiencing tightness, pulling or pain after breast surgery, please seek support from an oncology scar therapist.

You don’t have to keep pushing through it.

14/09/2026

Is your DIEP scar still feeling tight—even years after surgery?

Scar massage can be really helpful, but sometimes we need to work a little deeper: softening the surrounding tissues, gently lifting areas of restriction, and supporting lymphatic flow.

Here, I’m using LymphaTouch. It uses gentle negative pressure to lift and mobilise the tissue around the scar. This can help improve tissue flexibility, soften scar tissue, support circulation and lymphatic drainage, and reduce that feeling of tightness.

You might notice the restriction when lifting your arms—or perhaps you only feel it when you stand up, stretch, or engage your core.

If you experienced an infection or delayed healing after surgery, your scar tissue may feel particularly tight or restricted.

And even if your surgery was years ago, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s too late to work on your scar.

If this sounds familiar, get in touch—and let’s get started.

10/09/2026

This lady had recurring lower back pain that just wouldn’t shift — despite regular bodywork.
But here’s the catch: the root cause wasn’t the back itself.

👉 After assessing her, we found an old scar from a hip replacement that looked well healed on the surface. In reality, it was hot, painful to touch, and full of adhesions silently restricting movement.

Using the Restore Scar Therapy method, I gently worked on releasing those deeper restrictions.
Scar adhesions can disrupt how your muscles function — especially the glutes, which are key for stabilising the lower back.
When the glutes aren’t firing properly, your back has to overcompensate. That’s often where the pain begins.

✨ After just 2 scar therapy sessions, the change was clear:
✔️ Better range of motion
✔️ More glute engagement
✔️ Less pain
✔️ More stability in movement

💡 Just because a scar looks fine doesn’t mean it’s not affecting your body.

If you have a scar and unexplained pain elsewhere, it might be time to look deeper.
📩 DM me to get started.

27/08/2026

Hi, I’m Joana, a specialised oncology scar therapist helping people with problematic scar tissue resulting from surgery or radiotherapy.

Deep Oscillation and LymphaTouch are two of the main techniques I use to soften scar tissue and promote healing. They are some of the fastest ways I’ve found to help with symptoms such as:

* Tightness
* Painful scars and surrounding areas
* Scar adhesions limiting movement
* Poor blood and lymphatic function

Reach out for help after surgery or before & after radiotherapy.

Address

Canary Wharf
London

Telephone

+447581322214

Website

https://www.joanasbowentherapy.co.uk/contact

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Joana’s Bowen and Scar therapy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.