Medical Research:

There have been several medical trials that have proved the benefits of the Alexander Techniques for the relief and management of pain:

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Research into recurrent and chronic back pain

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In 2008 I was involved in a clinical trial funded by the Medical Research council and the NHS involving Doctors Surgeries and patients with chronic and recurrent back pain.  This was a randomised controlled trial and involved patients being involved in either Alexander Technique Lessons, exercise or massage. The results were published in the British Medical Journal:

 

Findings

• One-to-one lessons in the Alexander Technique have long term benefits for patients with chronic back pain.

• Lessons offer an individual approach designed to develop life -long skills for self-care that people recognise, understand and avoid poor habits affecting postural tone and neuromuscular co-ordination.

• Lessons pay particular attention to release unwanted head, neck and spinal muscle tension, guided by verbal instruction and hand contact, allowing decompression of the spine;

• help and feedback from hand contact and verbal instruction improve musculoskeletal use when stationery and in movement and spending time between lessons practising and applying the technique.

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Click here to read the full report on the BMJ website.

 

Alexander Lessons for management of disability by people with Parkinson’s (2002)

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A clinical trial was funded by the foundation for Integrated Medicine, the Parkinson’s Disease society REMDI and the University of Westminster.

 

Findings 

• showed that the skills learnt in the Alexander Technique, when applied to daily life, lead to sustained benefit for people with Parkinson’s.

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The trial was designed and led by Dr Chloe Stallibrass.

For a full report visit www.stat.org.uk

 

Taking Charge choosing a new direction. A Service Evaluation of Alexander lessons for Pain Clinic Patients (2012)

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An appraisal for pain management by University of West England (UWE) and Bristol Faculty of Health and Life Science and applied Social Science

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Findings 

• suggest that Alexander Technique teaching is feasible, acceptable and beneficial.

• Significant  changes were found in how service users managed their pain, for example more than half stopped or reduced their medication and the impact of pain on their daily life.

For a full report visit www.stat.org.uk