Alexander technique is named after its inventor, the Australian actor Frederick Matthias Alexander. The therapy aims to teach patients how to hold and move their bodies in the correct way in order to maximise movement and ease tension and stiffness. The main focus of Alexander technique is to correct a person’s posture.
When can Alexander technique be used?
Alexander technique can be used as a form of conditioning as well as a treatment; practitioners claim that Alexander technique:
- Releases muscle tension
- Reduces stiffness in the joints
- Makes people move more gracefully
- Reduces stress and tension
- Improves posture
Conditions that can be treated using Alexander technique include:
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Muscle weakness
- Stiffness in the joints
- Panic attacks
- Anxiety
- Breathing difficulties
- Conditions caused by pregnancy, including back ache and tiredness
This treatment can also be used by sports professionals to condition their bodies to make them more resistant to injury, improve recovery time and reduce tension in the muscles.
Learning Alexander Technique
People learn Alexander technique by having one to one sessions with a qualified teacher; the number of lessons needed will depend on the individual and the teacher.
Does Alexander technique work?
Alexander technique has been proven to be effective in treating conditions that are related to poor posture, such as lower back pain and stiffness in the joints and muscles. Back pain is one of the most common conditions amongst adults in the UK; learning Alexander technique could help to reduce the number of people that suffer from back pain in the future.