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Research Findings
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Watch an excellent short video about this important medical study on back pain and the Alexander Technique! |
A recent study published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) determined that back pain can be reduced by 85% through the study of the Alexander Technique. The major clinical trial also examined massage, standard medical care under a General Practitioner, and standard aerobic exercise, finding the Alexander Technique to offer the most significant long-term benefits for patients with chronic, non-specific low-back pain. |
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What Health Professionals Say
"The Alexander Technique stresses unification in an era of greater and greater medical specialization. Its educational system teaches people how to best use their bodies in ordinary action to avoid or reduce unnecessary stress and pain. It enables clients to get better faster and stay better longer. This is undoubtedly the best way to take care of the back and alleviate back pain."
Jack Stern, MD, PhD, Neurosurgical Group of Westchester, White Plains, NY |
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Practical Anatomy: The Waist Is Not A Hinge
Deborah Caplan, Physical Therapist, Alexander Technique Teacher, and Co-Founder of The American Center for the Alexander Technique in NYC (where I trained), says this in her book entitled Back Trouble: A New Approach to Prevention and Recovery:
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"Think of the torso as one functional unit. Notice the considerable distance between the waist and the hip joints."
In other words, use your hip joints for bending, not your waist! They (along with knees and ankles) are beautifully designed for that purpose. |
"Like the unicorn, the waist is a mythical creature. It exists as a concept, but we get into trouble when we think of the waist as a real entity, with hinge-like qualities. Such faulty thinking leads to faulty use, and faulty use of the waist is respon-sible for many lower back problems.
There is nothing wrong with using the flexibility of your spine when it is appropriate, such as for dancing, exercising, or engaging in sports. But your back can be injured when you misuse its flexibility. It should not be misused by bending from the waist or by slumping, which keeps the waist bent continually."
Back Trouble addresses many back, neck and shoulder problems from an Alexander perspective. I recommend it highly as a source of information. But please keep this in mind: the Alexander Technique cannot be learned from a book. If you haven't yet had lessons, the hands-on guidance of a qualified teacher is essential for making any lasting progress in improving your use of yourself. |
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Did You Know?
Did you know that actor Paul Newman and his wife, actress Joanne Woodward, both studied the Alexander Technique? Here is what they said about it:
"The Alexander Technique helped a long-standing back problem and to get a good night's sleep after many years of tossing and turning." - Paul Newman, actor
"I was dubious about the effects of the Alexander Technique when I first went in to experience it, but I found out almost immediately that the benefits were total - both physically and mentally - and, happily, have also been long-lasting." - Joanne Woodward, actress |
