According to a study in the British Medial Journal, the Alexander Technique is a more effective approach to back pain than massage or GP supervised care: click here for article
ARTICLE SUMMARY
Back pain eased by good posture according to British Medical Journal – August 19, 2008
Long-term back pain can be relieved through encouraging sufferers to adopt good posture through the Alexander technique, say UK researchers.
The technique teaches patients how to sit, stand and walk in a way that relieves pain by focusing on their coordination and posture.
The latest work is published in the British Medical Journal. The trial was funded by the Medical Research Council and the NHS Research and Development fund.
About half the UK population suffers from back pain during a year with up to 15% going on to have chronic problems. It is the second biggest cause of sick leave, accounting for five million lost working days a year.
Longer-term relief
Researchers from Bristol and Southampton universities used a combination of normal GP care, massage and Alexander technique lessons on 463 patients over the course of a year. They found that by the end, the Alexander patients suffered just three days back pain a month. This compared to 21 days for those receiving GP care, which tended to include regular consultations, pain killers and exercise regimes for some, and 14 for those who had massages.
The Alexander patients were split into two - one group received 24 lessons and one six. Those who had 24 lessons were suffering just three days pain, compared to 11 for the other group. Lead researcher Professor Debbie Sharp said using the Alexander technique should provide help to most people with back pain.
She added: "Lessons in the Alexander technique offer an individualized approach to develop skills that help people recognize, understand, and avoid poor habits affecting postural tone and neuromuscular coordination. It can potentially reduce back pain by limiting muscle spasm, strengthening postural muscles, improving coordination and flexibility, and decompressing the spine."
ARTICLE SUMMARY
Back pain eased by good posture according to British Medical Journal – August 19, 2008
Long-term back pain can be relieved through encouraging sufferers to adopt good posture through the Alexander technique, say UK researchers.
The technique teaches patients how to sit, stand and walk in a way that relieves pain by focusing on their coordination and posture.
The latest work is published in the British Medical Journal. The trial was funded by the Medical Research Council and the NHS Research and Development fund.
About half the UK population suffers from back pain during a year with up to 15% going on to have chronic problems. It is the second biggest cause of sick leave, accounting for five million lost working days a year.
Longer-term relief
Researchers from Bristol and Southampton universities used a combination of normal GP care, massage and Alexander technique lessons on 463 patients over the course of a year. They found that by the end, the Alexander patients suffered just three days back pain a month. This compared to 21 days for those receiving GP care, which tended to include regular consultations, pain killers and exercise regimes for some, and 14 for those who had massages.
The Alexander patients were split into two - one group received 24 lessons and one six. Those who had 24 lessons were suffering just three days pain, compared to 11 for the other group. Lead researcher Professor Debbie Sharp said using the Alexander technique should provide help to most people with back pain.
She added: "Lessons in the Alexander technique offer an individualized approach to develop skills that help people recognize, understand, and avoid poor habits affecting postural tone and neuromuscular coordination. It can potentially reduce back pain by limiting muscle spasm, strengthening postural muscles, improving coordination and flexibility, and decompressing the spine."
