Alexander Technique + Chronic Back Pain
The Facts:
Back pain is a huge problem in modern society. It is the most common cause of disability in western societies. Seeing that “substantially larger proportions of adults with back pain, compared to those without pack pain, report feeling sad, worthless, or hopeless” is a horrible statistic.
Alexander Technique has the potential to revolutionize the lives of those suffering from chronic back pain.
I, myself, suffered from chronic back pain while in high school and college. Some days were better than others and some days I was lying on the ground crying. When I discovered the Alexander Technique it was for the purpose of improving my singing performances, but what I hadn’t realized until after my first round of summer courses, is that my back pain had completely vanished. I noticed my back changing and I felt soreness because of the loosening of my habits, but the moment it was gone completely, I don’t remember. There are many who have had similar experiences of freedom from pain through the Alexander Technique. This is because AT practitioners work with their clients to establish proper amounts of muscular tone in all conditions, resting and activity.
The causes of back pain are varied and often cannot be traced back to one specific incident. Poor posture, heavy lifting, wearing high heels, having certain congenital conditions can all result in back pain. Each case of back pain is specific to the individual. It could be a pulled muscle or ligament, a compressed disc in the spine, degeneration of the intervertebral disc, or several other factors that contribute to back pain. The Alexander Technique works to alleviate excess tension, strengthen postural muscles, decompress the spine, and allow more freedom and availability of the back and spine.
If you suffer from back pain and are interested in exploring the Alexander Technique as a treatment option, please reach out here!
Here are the studies:
A study done with people who suffer from chronic and recurrent back pain found that even as few as 6 lessons in the Alexander Technique resulted in long term relief from pain. In this study there were 4 groups of people. The first group received “normal care,” the second received massages, the third received 6 Alexander Technique lessons, and the fourth received 24 Alexander Technique lessons. Within each group half of the participants were also prescribed an aerobic exercise plan. Of the groups, those who received Alexander Technique lessons with the prescribed exercise plan had the biggest improvements as well as the longest lasting improvements. These improvements lasted longer than a year, while those who had received massage saw their results diminish after 3 months.
There was a study done with a 49-year-old woman with a 25-year history of left-sided, idiopathic, lumbrosacral back pain and after 3 months of lessons the magnitude and asymmetry of her responses and balanced improved and her low back pain decreased.
A study done by Lucy Yardley, Laura Dennison, Rebecca Coker, Frances Webley, Karen Middleton, Jane Barnett, Angela Beattie, Maggie Evans, Peter Smith, and Paul Little shows that of the two groups of patients (the first who were assigned to an exercise program for their back pain and the second who received Alexander Technique lessons for their back pain) the group who received Alexander Technique lessons felt they were better able to manage their back pain. Initial questionnaires for both groups showed positive attitudes towards their prescribed therapy methods; however they found that only the group receiving Alexander Technique lessons indicated a more positive attitude towards their interventions during follow-ups. They also noted that, whereas there were obstacles encountered throughout the exercise program, there were few barriers to learning the Alexander Technique. It was described as making sense and something that “could be practiced while carrying out everyday activities or relaxing” with the teachers providing “personal advice and support.”
- 50% of all working Americans have back pain symptoms each year
- Back pain accounts for more than 264 million lost work days in a year (it’s the leading cause of missed work days)
- 8% of all adults experience persistent or chronic back pain
- Back pain is the 6th most costly condition in the U.S.
- “Substantially larger proportions of adults with back pain, compared to those without back pain, report feeling sad, worthless, or hopeless”
- Those with chronic back pain report “significant levels of psychological distress” including depression
- Adults with back pain report as being less active
- On-the-job back injuries are common
Back pain is a huge problem in modern society. It is the most common cause of disability in western societies. Seeing that “substantially larger proportions of adults with back pain, compared to those without pack pain, report feeling sad, worthless, or hopeless” is a horrible statistic.
Alexander Technique has the potential to revolutionize the lives of those suffering from chronic back pain.
I, myself, suffered from chronic back pain while in high school and college. Some days were better than others and some days I was lying on the ground crying. When I discovered the Alexander Technique it was for the purpose of improving my singing performances, but what I hadn’t realized until after my first round of summer courses, is that my back pain had completely vanished. I noticed my back changing and I felt soreness because of the loosening of my habits, but the moment it was gone completely, I don’t remember. There are many who have had similar experiences of freedom from pain through the Alexander Technique. This is because AT practitioners work with their clients to establish proper amounts of muscular tone in all conditions, resting and activity.
The causes of back pain are varied and often cannot be traced back to one specific incident. Poor posture, heavy lifting, wearing high heels, having certain congenital conditions can all result in back pain. Each case of back pain is specific to the individual. It could be a pulled muscle or ligament, a compressed disc in the spine, degeneration of the intervertebral disc, or several other factors that contribute to back pain. The Alexander Technique works to alleviate excess tension, strengthen postural muscles, decompress the spine, and allow more freedom and availability of the back and spine.
If you suffer from back pain and are interested in exploring the Alexander Technique as a treatment option, please reach out here!
Here are the studies:
A study done with people who suffer from chronic and recurrent back pain found that even as few as 6 lessons in the Alexander Technique resulted in long term relief from pain. In this study there were 4 groups of people. The first group received “normal care,” the second received massages, the third received 6 Alexander Technique lessons, and the fourth received 24 Alexander Technique lessons. Within each group half of the participants were also prescribed an aerobic exercise plan. Of the groups, those who received Alexander Technique lessons with the prescribed exercise plan had the biggest improvements as well as the longest lasting improvements. These improvements lasted longer than a year, while those who had received massage saw their results diminish after 3 months.
There was a study done with a 49-year-old woman with a 25-year history of left-sided, idiopathic, lumbrosacral back pain and after 3 months of lessons the magnitude and asymmetry of her responses and balanced improved and her low back pain decreased.
A study done by Lucy Yardley, Laura Dennison, Rebecca Coker, Frances Webley, Karen Middleton, Jane Barnett, Angela Beattie, Maggie Evans, Peter Smith, and Paul Little shows that of the two groups of patients (the first who were assigned to an exercise program for their back pain and the second who received Alexander Technique lessons for their back pain) the group who received Alexander Technique lessons felt they were better able to manage their back pain. Initial questionnaires for both groups showed positive attitudes towards their prescribed therapy methods; however they found that only the group receiving Alexander Technique lessons indicated a more positive attitude towards their interventions during follow-ups. They also noted that, whereas there were obstacles encountered throughout the exercise program, there were few barriers to learning the Alexander Technique. It was described as making sense and something that “could be practiced while carrying out everyday activities or relaxing” with the teachers providing “personal advice and support.”