Research into the Alexander Technique
Kate Fun, Alexander Technique Teacher, Finsbury Park, Crouch End and Muswell Hill
In August 2008 the British Medical Journal published the results of a large randomised control trial comparing the effects of Alexander Technique lessons with massage and GP prescribed exercise. The results confirmed the long-term benefit of learning Alexander Technique for chronic and recurrent back-pain sufferers. Patients who followed the series of 24 AT lessons benefited the most and showed considerable improvements in function, quality of life and a reduction in the number of days they suffered pain. Furthermore it was shown that one year after the trial started, the average number of activities limited by back pain had fallen by 42 per cent, and the number of days in pain was only three a month compared with 21 days in the control group, proving that even after lessons had finished patients were able to carry on using what they had learnt to help themselves.
The BMJ video is on the Home page of this website. You can also download the full PDF report by clicking on this link.
Other research into the Alexander Technique:
Retention of skills learnt in the Alexander Technique: 28 people with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, Clinical Rehabilitation (2002)
Improvement in automatic postural coordination following Alexander Technique lessons in a person with low back pain, Physical Therapy (2005)
Functional reach improvement in older women, Journals of Gerontology (1999)
Enhanced Respiratory Muscular Function in Normal Adults after Lessons in AT, CHEST (1992)
Tribute to the Alexander Technique
Ethology and Stress Diseases, Nobel Prize winner Nicholas Tinbergen's acceptance speech in which he discusses the benefits of the Alexander Technique in 1972.
Media coverage of the Alexander Technique:
Benefits beyond the Physical, TalkBack (Dec 2013 issue)
An old cure for a modern malaise: Alexander Technique can beat chronic back pain, The Daily Mail (Aug 22 2008)
At last, the cure for back pain, The Guardian (Aug 21 2008)
Sit up and take note, The Daily Telegraph (Aug 20 2008)
Alexander Technique does ease back pain, The Guardian (Aug 20 2008)
Alexander Technique for back pain, NHS News (Aug 20 2008)
Alexander Technique does help back pain, Reuters (Aug 20 2008)
How lessons in poise are the best way to ease your back pain, The Express (Aug 20 2008)
Alexander posture technique 'most effective at reducing back pain', The Telegraph (Aug 19 2008)
Fitness through the Ages, The Guardian, (12 Aug 2008)
Body and Sole, The Telegraph (10 Mar 2006)
Technique helps people walk tall, BBC News (18 Aug 2002)
Comments on the Alexander Technique Books on the Alexander Technique
The Alexander Technique transformed my life. It is the result of an acknowledged genius. I would recommend it to everyone.
Tony Buzan
Author: Use Your Head: The Evolving Brain
Contact Me
