Alexander Technique for back pain
20 Aug 2008
New research finds that the Alexander Technique gives long-term benefits for people with low back pain.
On Wednesday 20 August 2008, many newspapers, websites, radio stations and TV programmes reported on a study that found that the Alexander Technique gives long-term benefits for people with low back pain. Examples of some of the media who reported on this study can be found in: The Times, BBC Online, The Telegraph, The Guardian.
The study, conducted by researchers in Southampton and Bristol, was first published in the online version of the British Medical Journal (see: 2008;337:a884) on the 18th August 2008. The researchers contacted GP practices in England to recruit 579 patients with chronic or recurrent low back pain. These patients were randomly allocated to one of the four treatment options:
(a) massage
(b) normal care
(c) six Alexander Technique lessons, or
(d) twenty-four Alexander Technique lessons.
Within each group, half also received an exercise programme.
The researchers wanted to know which treatment gave the best results one year after the treatment program. The BMJ article reported average changes in the four groups for levels of disability (measured using a questionnaire that assesses to what extent your back pain limits your activities in everyday life) and number of days with back pain. The results showed that after one year the group who received Alexander Technique lessons and exercise had maintained their improvement. The people in the massage group no longer experienced benefits after one year. The people who received 24 lessons in the Alexander Technique had slightly more improvement than those who received 6 lessons, although the difference between the two groups was small.
The researchers concluded that six lessons in the Alexander Technique followed by an exercise prescription programme gives the best long-term results for people with low back pain.
This was a large study of good quality and this means that the results are most likely representative for many people with low back pain. At the moment (September 2008) Alexander Technique lessons are not available on the NHS, which means you will have to pay yourself. If you want to try the Alexander Technique you are advised to contact a member of the Society for Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT). This ensures you have a qualified teacher. You can search for an AT teacher in your area in BackCare's Professional members database or on the STAT website.
BackCare cannot recommend any single treatment or product for back pain since back pain is such a diverse condition for which many different things can be helpful. The results of the above described study are promising though and you may want to explore if the Alexander Technique can help you with your back pain.