The Alexander Technique for Back Pain
It's a sad fact that the majority of adults will experience back pain at some point in their lives. For many, it's a few days of discomfort that a few painkillers can help.
For others, back pain can become a persistent problem that may start to interfere with their daily activities and even prevent them participating in things they enjoy. The next step is usually a visit to a therapist, usually a physio, osteopath of chiropractor. These may help to find and correct issues with alignment, muscle imbalance or tight fascia. A few weeks treatment should help, invariably combined with corrective exercises.
However, traditional manual therapies rarely address the underlying habits that can cause the aches and pains.
So where does the Alexander Technique fit in? I teach at two physio clinics, an osteopathic centre and a Pilates studio. I get involved if traditional treatment hasn't helped, or is only providing temporary relief. This is because back pain where muscle fatigue is a factor is often caused by how you stand, sit, walk and run. Poor movement habits can lead to excessive muscular activity in the wrong muscles. For example, people who try to sit and stand up straight do so by tightening their lower back. These muscles are not the most efficient muscles to perform this function and will soon tire - and this fatigue is the basis to most muscle aches and pains.
Learning the Alexander Technique will help you to re-discover the natural poise you had in your youth. Through guided movement, you'll first recognise poor preparation (try my quick test for a demonstration), and then how to free up tension to improve your coordination and reduce undue tension. A number of medical studies have proved learning AT can be beneficial for back pain - you can read them here.
Around eighty percent of people coming to me for lessons, come because of back pain. Of these, over half are due to lower back pain, the remainder is split between mid and upper back discomfort. The majority find applying the techniques benefit them hugely, and it's long-term. The Alexander Technique is a skill that once learned, you can continue to practice them without having to continue lessons. It's like learning to play a musical instrument - you need a number to learn the basics, go home and practice, and then continue to develop at your own pace.
And there's more good news. Unlike many approaches to back pain, AT does not require you to spend time doing corrective exercises - you simply apply the techniques to your daily activities. Whether you spend long hours sitting at your desk, or you're on your feet all day, or bending, twisting and lifting, you can practice the method and see and feel the results quickly. The more you move with better awareness and improved co-ordination, the more your muscles and habits will be conditioned for the good.
So if you're suffering persistent back pain, why not try a lesson and see how the Alexander Technique could help you to help yourself. Please contact me today to book an introductory lesson, or if you're not in Beds, Bucks, Herts or Northants, you can find a teacher near to where you live at AlexanderTechnique.co.uk
For others, back pain can become a persistent problem that may start to interfere with their daily activities and even prevent them participating in things they enjoy. The next step is usually a visit to a therapist, usually a physio, osteopath of chiropractor. These may help to find and correct issues with alignment, muscle imbalance or tight fascia. A few weeks treatment should help, invariably combined with corrective exercises.
However, traditional manual therapies rarely address the underlying habits that can cause the aches and pains.
So where does the Alexander Technique fit in? I teach at two physio clinics, an osteopathic centre and a Pilates studio. I get involved if traditional treatment hasn't helped, or is only providing temporary relief. This is because back pain where muscle fatigue is a factor is often caused by how you stand, sit, walk and run. Poor movement habits can lead to excessive muscular activity in the wrong muscles. For example, people who try to sit and stand up straight do so by tightening their lower back. These muscles are not the most efficient muscles to perform this function and will soon tire - and this fatigue is the basis to most muscle aches and pains.
Learning the Alexander Technique will help you to re-discover the natural poise you had in your youth. Through guided movement, you'll first recognise poor preparation (try my quick test for a demonstration), and then how to free up tension to improve your coordination and reduce undue tension. A number of medical studies have proved learning AT can be beneficial for back pain - you can read them here.
Around eighty percent of people coming to me for lessons, come because of back pain. Of these, over half are due to lower back pain, the remainder is split between mid and upper back discomfort. The majority find applying the techniques benefit them hugely, and it's long-term. The Alexander Technique is a skill that once learned, you can continue to practice them without having to continue lessons. It's like learning to play a musical instrument - you need a number to learn the basics, go home and practice, and then continue to develop at your own pace.
And there's more good news. Unlike many approaches to back pain, AT does not require you to spend time doing corrective exercises - you simply apply the techniques to your daily activities. Whether you spend long hours sitting at your desk, or you're on your feet all day, or bending, twisting and lifting, you can practice the method and see and feel the results quickly. The more you move with better awareness and improved co-ordination, the more your muscles and habits will be conditioned for the good.
So if you're suffering persistent back pain, why not try a lesson and see how the Alexander Technique could help you to help yourself. Please contact me today to book an introductory lesson, or if you're not in Beds, Bucks, Herts or Northants, you can find a teacher near to where you live at AlexanderTechnique.co.uk