Findings of a study of Back Pain and the Alexander Technique conducted by the British Medical Journal
A major study led by a Southampton researcher has found significant evidence that the Alexander Technique can provide long-term benefit for people with chronic or recurrent low back pain.
The study, one of the first of its kind, is being published online today by the BMJ at BMJ.com (20 August 2008).
It shows that lessons in the Alexander Technique provide an individualised approach to reducing back pain through the teaching of life-long self-care skills that help people recognise, understand and avoid poor habits affecting postural tone and neuromuscular co-ordination.
Research by Professor Paul Little of the University of Southampton, in conjunction with Professor Debbie Sharp, of Bristol University, shows that the technique can help long-term back pain.
Massage also helped over the three months but the effect on activities was no longer significant after one year.
Exercise prescription alone had significant but modest effects on activities at both three and 12 months. However, a series of six Alexander Technique lessons followed by GP-prescribed exercise was about 70 per cent as beneficial as 24 Alexander Technique lessons at one year.
Professor Little said: “This is a significant step forward in the long-term management of low back pain.
“The results of this study revealed that the Alexander Technique can help back pain; it probably does this by limiting muscle spasm, strengthening postural muscles, improving co-ordination and flexibility and decompressing the spine.
“This means that patients can have fewer activities or functions limited by back pain.”
The trial was funded by the Medical Research Council and the NHS Research and Development fund.
Paper available on the British Medical Journal website at this link https://www.bmj.com/content/337/bmj.a884