Medical Studies say Alexander Technique works
Articles about the Clinical Trial - "The ATEAM report" - (British Medical Journal August 23 2008: "Alexander Technique Can it help with low back pain?"), are available on the web sites of most national (and many international) newspapers, including "The Times", "The Guardian", "The Daily Mail" and "The Independent".
Further references are to be found on www.stat.org.uk the website of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique.
Chronic back pain can be soul-destroying. With pain researchers increasingly convinced of the importance of psychological, as well as physical, factors in producing pain, what's also becoming evident is that approaches that address only the physical aren't as effective as those that influence our feelings too.
It seems amazing that little more than a decade ago, rest and painkillers were still standard treatment for back pain. In the past 20 years research has consistently shown that active approaches - when the patient takes responsibility for exercise - are far more effective than passive ones.
It has gone on to show that approaches that give detailed attention to an individual and tailored treatment - such as osteopathy and physiotherapy - are more effective than off-the-peg approaches.
But more recently, as good-quality research studies have been conducted into complementary techniques, the possibility has arisen that yoga and the Alexander Technique hold benefits beyond manipulation and exercise. It has something to do with our minds.
The theory behind the Alexander Technique may be hard for medics to take because it revolves around simultaneously releasing emotional and physical stresses by improving posture. But it may be in this difficult mind-body link that its success lies. This means that, for all the benefits shown by research, it may be a while before it is available on the NHS.
So what are you to do if you want to try the technique? Since the report came out, the organisation for Alexander Technique training has reported a huge public demand for details of teachers (Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique www.stat.org.uk). There are only 900 in England, and most of these are in the SouthEast.
The full article can be found at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article4582412.ece and a similar article in the Guardian. An abstract of the British Medical Journal findings is available.
The NHS has responded with it's article "Alexander Technique for back pain". They quote "The researchers conclude that one-to-one instruction in the Alexander technique by registered teachers has long-term benefits in chronic back pain".
