SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

BACK PAIN

A major trial1 that was published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) showed that

One to one lessons in the Alexander technique have long term benefits for patients with chronic low back pain.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF RESULTS

  • 24 AT lessons proved to be most beneficial - (went down to 3 days of pain/month instead of 21 days)
  • Less incapacity
  • Improved quality of life
  • 6 lessons followed by exercise were about 70% as effective as 24 lessons

Visit the British Medical Journal website to read the research

Another single case study2 looked at the effect of Alexander Technique lessons on a 49yr old woman with low back pain.

After lessons her automatic postural coordination improved and her low back pain decreased.

NECK PAIN

A large randomised, controlled clinical trial run by the University of York and funded by Arthritis Research UK, has shown that one-to-one Alexander Technique lessons lead to long-term benefit for people with chronic neck pain, with reduction in pain and associated disability maintained 1 year after lessons began.

The trial also demonstrated that people were able to improve the way they lived their daily lives and managed their pain following the Alexander lessons. Learning the Alexander Technique led to increased self-efficacy and ability for self-care. Summary



PARKINSON’S

A randomized controlled trial3 of the Alexander Technique for idiopathic Parkinson's disease showed that:
Lessons in the Alexander Technique are likely to lead to sustained benefit for people with Parkinson's disease.

POSTURE

One study4 shows the impact on surgeons of Alexander Technique lessons during minimally invasive surgery.
It resulted in a significant improvement in posture. Improved surgical ergonomics, endurance and posture decreased surgical fatigue and the incidence of repetitive stress injuries to laparoscopic surgeons.

Another study5 has shown increased dynamic regulation of postural tone through Alexander Technique training

BALANCE

Two studies6/7 have shown the positive effects of the Alexander Technique on balance in the elderly

BREATHING & STUTTERING

One study8 shows the improvement in breathing with Alexander lessons.
Another9 shows an improvement in stuttering

COORDINATION

In this study10 the coordination of Alexander Technique teachers in sit-to-stand movement was compared with control subjects. Their movement was smoother, more efficient, with less hip stiffness.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE

A randomised study11 has demonstrated a reduction in performance-related anxiety and improved performance quality in musicians following Alexander Technique lessons.

Another study12 in pianists that showed improved evenness of touch when playing the piano following Alexander lessons.

CHRONIC PAIN

Chronic pain sufferers may benefit from learning the Alexander Technique in NHS outpatient pain clinics according to a new service evaluation project.13 More than half of the service users in the study stopped or reduced their use of medications between the start of the lessons and three months, making cost savings to the NHS.

NECK PAIN

A new clinical trial is investigating how effective Alexander Technique lessons are, compared with usual GP care, for people with chronic neck pain.
The 3-year trial is being conducted by the University of York and is funded by Arthritis Research UK.

Abstracts for most of the above studies can be found at PubMed

  1. Randomised controlled trial of Alexander Technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for patients with chronic low back pain
    British Medical Journal 2008;337:a884.
    Little P, Lewith G, Webley F, et al.
  2. Improvement in automatic postural coordination following alexander technique lessons in a person with low back pain
    Phys Ther. 2005 Jun;85(6):565-78
    Cacciatore TW, Horak FB, Henry SM
  3. Randomized controlled trial of the Alexander Technique for idiopathic Parkinson's disease
    Clinical Rehabilitation (2002) 16 705-718
    Stallibrass C, Sissons P, Chalmers C
  4. The impact of the Alexander Technique on improving posture and surgical ergonomics during minimally invasive surgery: pilot study
    J Urol. 2011 Oct;186(4 Suppl):1658-62. Epub 2011 Aug 19
    Reddy PP, Reddy TP, Roig-Francoli J, Cone L, Sivan B, Defoor WR, Gaitonde K, Noh PH.
  5. Increased dynamic regulation of postural tone through Alexander Technique training
    Human Movement Science 2011 Feb;30(1):74-89
    Cacciatore TW, Gurfinkel VS, Horak FB, Cordo PJ, Ames KE.
  6. Feasibility of group delivery of the Alexander Technique on balance in the community-dwelling elderly: preliminary findings
    Activities Adaptation and Aging 2008;32:103–119
    Batson G, Barker S.
  7. Functional reach improvement in normal older women after Alexander Technique instruction
    J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1999 Jan;54(1):M8-11.
    Dennis RJ.
  8. Enhanced respiratory muscular function in normal adults after lessons in proprioceptive musculoskeletal education without exercises.
    Chest 1992 Aug;102(2):486-90.
    Austin JH, Ausubel P.
  9. F.M. Alexander technique in the treatment of stuttering - randomized single-case intervention study with ambulatory monitoring
    Psychother Psychosom. 2006;75(3):190-1
    Schulte D, Walach H.
  10. Prolonged weight-shift and altered spinal coordination during sit-to-stand in practitioners of the Alexander Technique
    Gait Posture. 2011 Oct;34(4):496-501
    Cacciatore TW, Gurfinkel VS, Horak FB, Day BL
  11. The Effect of Lessons in the Alexander Technique on Music Performance in High and Low Stress Situations
    Psychology of Music, Vol. 23, No. 2, 129-141 (1995)
    Valentine E, Fitzgerald D, Gorton T, Hudson J, Symonds
  12. The role of the Alexander Technique in musical training and performing.
    Proceedings of the International Symposium on Performance Science 2007; Porto; Portugal.
    Williamson A and Coimbra D.
  13. McClean, S. and Wye, L. (2012) Taking charge, choosing a new direction: A service evaluation of Alexander Technique lessons for pain clinic patients (SEAT): An approach to pain management. Project Report. UWE Bristol, Bristol.