The Alexander Technique For Back Pain

Doctors say that the Alexander technique of better posture can help you ease the most painful of backaches, called the chronic backache, which has been accountable for more disability and more days off work than any other ailment.

Backache, which has largely been difficult to treat, has been the prime cause for employees taking leave from their workplaces in the United Kingdom. Seven out of ten people have reportedly been affected of lower back pain at some stage of their lives.

The British Medical has reported a research conducted on about 500 patients, has been a ray of hope in people.

The Southampton and Bristol University have carried out the research on these patients wherein they applied a combination of the Alexander technique along with some mundane exercises for about a year and have reportedly observed a visible improvement in these patients.

The Alexander technique mainly concentrates of the back, head and the neck muscles. Patients have said that they have experienced lesser pain and a dramatic improvement in the quality of their daily routine life activities.

Southampton University’s doctor Professor Paul Little whose 579 patients who had been suffering from recurrent back pain and who had been consulting their GP, from about 64 General Practitioner’s practices in various regions of England. None of those who had a serious spinal cord or those who had undergone the Alexander technique were chosen in the trial.

These patients were treated daily with various kinds of massages, regular care, and either six or twenty four lessons of Alexander technique. Some of the patients were additionally given regular brisk walking routines for most of the days of the week.

Although the massaging technique gave some solace to the patients, it was however, not an everlasting solution to the problem. However, the patients treated with Alexander technique, expressed their improvement for more than a period of a year.

Little was pleasantly surprised at the results. He claimed that he did not expect the patients to demonstrate so much of will power, which is a vital factor in any course of treatment, and hence he had not expected such great results at the end of the trial.

He added that patients who did some exercises along with the technique achieved much better results. Unfortunately, he says, this technique is not offered on the NHS.
He concludes that people should set this as their goal to move ahead with their treatment.
Talking about the price of each workshop, he says that although each session costs £30, this is worthwhile.

What is Alexander Technique?
An Australian actor, Fredrick Alexander, developed this technique in the 18th century. He was on the verge of losing his vocal organs and hence his career, due to his hoarse voice during acting. He hence started practicing this technique, to regain his posture as that of a young kid. It also helps one to ease the tension and anxiety.