The Alexander Way…learning is a joyous adventure…

March 25, 2010 (PhysOrg.com)

A researcher from the University of the West of England is looking into the use of the Alexander Technique (AT) as a teaching method to help people with chronic back pain and to explore the role of a specific service in an NHS pain clinic.

UWE researcher Dr Stuart McClean will be working in collaboration with Dr Lesley Wye from the University of Bristol, health practitioners at St Michaels Hospital and STAT Alexander Technique teachers. Stuart explains that “The Alexander Technique uses hands-on to achieve greater ease and poise by removing unhelpful habits that get in the way of simple activities such as sitting, standing and walking. It is all about self management and awareness.”

He said, “Alexander Technique teaches people first to pause and to realise that there are conscious choices in everyday activities such as raising a hand, talking, using a computer, or playing a musical instrument.

“Alexander Technique requires significant effort on the part of the patient, which the AT teacher calls the ’student’. For this reason the long term impact can be very positive. Once the technique is learned the ’student’ can use and practice the technique themselves, emphasising self management so that the effects may last after any formal treatment.

The University of Bristol and University of Southampton carried out a randomised controlled trial, published in the BMJ, and found AT was both clinically and cost effective for the treatment of back pain in primary care. This research builds on that study, as the researchers are looking at what happens when AT is introduced into a hospital pain clinic.

A participant in the trial, Ann Downton, 67, said, “I suffered from arthritis in the spine. I began to feel the benefits after four or five lessons. If you want something other than tablets to help back pain it can be expensive. Alexander Technique should be available on the NHS.”

Dr Peter Brook, the lead consultant at St. Michael’s Pain Clinic in Bristol, said, “I was very interested to read the BMJ study on back pain. The results are very encouraging and something that should be further evaluated to ascertain its value in chronic back pain. The general ethos of the Pain Management Service at University Hospitals Bristol is to encourage a self management approach to long term conditions. If lessons in the Alexander Technique can contribute to this it will be a useful addition to our range of treatment options.”

If the study demonstrates that the AT service is feasible, acceptable, cost-neutral and beneficial to service users the AT teachers will seek longer term funding to extend the service. The findings will also be disseminated widely within the local Primary Care Trust and nationally at conferences. Stuart McClean concludes, “This is a scoping study but it could have a significant impact if AT is seen to demonstrate clear benefits to the service users as well as the NHS. The results will be widely published and used to inform future decisions surrounding pain management.”

Provided by University of the West of England

The British Medical Journal study shows 85% reduction in back pain through lessons in the Alexander Technique.  Dr Paul Little led the investigation in a major back pain study with results released in the late summer of 2008.

The study determined that back pain can be reduced by the Alexander Technique’s practical method of self-care taught in individualized lessons.

Exciting Results:
579 patients were involved in this multi-center clinical trial, which is one of the few major studies to show significant long-term benefits for patients with chronic non-specific low-back pain. BMJ, 2008

One year after the trial started and following 24 Alexander Technique lessons the number of days in pain fell by 85% compared with the control group. The average number of activities limited by back pain had fallen by 42%.??In real numbers:
*   After 6 lessons = 3 days in pain per month
*   After 24 lessons plus exercise = 11 days of pain per month

To find an Alexander Technique Teacher near you go to:

Alexander Technique International

Alexander Technique . com

By Christie Johnson
Over 80% of women report back pain in pregnancy. Trying to balance the added weight of the growing baby can take its toll both physically in sitting, squatting and even climbing stairs, as well as emotionally as hormones shift. During delivery there is the challenge of maintaining calm amidst contractions. Then, after delivery there is the awkwardness of carrying baby, the car seat, the diaper bag and possibly groceries all in one load. How does one maintain balance and prevent injury through all of this? The Alexander Technique(AT) has been a valuable resource for mitigating these challenges.

A century old method, AT teaches movement efficiency. Pregnant women have found it extremely helpful in learning how to reduce stress and impact on the body. As the baby grows, there is a tendency for many women to accommodate the extra forward weight by leaning back. This can create lower back pain and sciatica. AT teaches Mom how to make the best use of the internal torso space to provide for better breathing, improve digestion and thus increase her energy.

During delivery AT promotes better balance, breath, coordination and support. Women learn how the pelvic floor is designed to release. Most importantly, they learn to focus on their body’s natural rhythms during the birthing process and find more resources within each moment versus thinking of just the end result of the birth.

Parents have found tremendous comfort in learning how to move more naturally with less tension using AT. Parents also learn to respond in an easier way to stimuli. This is especially useful in dealing with late night feedings, bathing, dressing, carrying and playing with babies.

Pregnancy and parenting require an immense amount of energy. The Alexander Technique helps redirect excess efforts into more resourceful energy allowing for better balance for all.

Article Courtesy of Healthy Times Newspaper Archives

Happiness is defined as doing well something that interests you. It can be seen at its clearest in a healthy child at play whose pleasure resides in the satisfaction… F.M. quote from Frank Jones ‘Freedom to Change’

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