As a nation of back pain sufferers we could do with knowing more about the Alexander Technique. However it’s not just for people with back pain. Anyone can benefit as there is always room for improvement.

 

Very few of us are blessed with perfect co-ordination unless our name is Fred Astaire! Of course, the technique is used to help people with back, neck, shoulder and joint troubles but can also help in stress management, pregnancy, postural difficulties and many disorders from asthma to RSI and post operative rehabilitation.

 

Actors, sportspeople and musicians also learn it as it is a way of improving their performances - among them Dame Judi Dench, John Cleese, Sebastian Coe, Roald Dahl, Julie Andrews, Sting, Jeremy Irons, Maggie Smith, Robin Williams and Lindford Christie.

 

Pain management/ post operative rehabilitation - When we get pain we tend to react to this with even more muscular tension. After an accident we can build up tension elsewhere because we compensate in some way, possibly by walking differently or holding onto our shoulders. It can be very empowering for us to realise that we do have a choice and that we can learn to use less tension and get our muscles working better to support us.

 

Preventative - If we are using excessive tension on a day to day basis this can lead to us damaging ourselves. We may have just picked up a piece of paper from the floor when our back goes into spasm, however it wasn't just the act of picking up the paper that did it, we need to ask what have we been doing to ourselves in the months and years before? The Alexander Technique allows us to become aware of ourselves in activity and gives us a choice to move with less tension and the appropriate level of muscle tone.