The Alexander Technique can help (literally) to relax

The Alexander Technique can help (literally) to relax - In the 1890s a Shakespearean actor named F. Matthias Alexander started to discover why his voice is often lost when he performed. (Imagine yourself as a Shakespearean actor, totally dependent on his voice to pay your bills, find you, speechless when necessary to complete!) Needless to say, Alexander had to find out why this was happening.

He began by observing himself in multiple mirrors, while preparing to perform. In fact, it was discovered that something has changed before his speech: He contracted the muscles of the upper part of your body, especially the neck so hard that his whole attitude has changed. He theorized that the loss of voice may be the result of his interrupted position.

Fortunately, his hypothesis proved correct. When he was able to release the tension in your muscles with a variety of movements, not only did their loss of voice of determination, but was able to change the habit he had developed to obtain neck.  

While continuing to refine and improve its methods, Alexander realized they could help others improve their health and wellbeing. Their findings, which have already been codified in the Alexander Technique (AT), are still in use today.

What is the Alexander Technique used today?
 
Today, AT is considered a mental discipline that teaches people to let go of the tension in the body and how to allow the body to move with ease and minimal effort. AT is used to treat a variety of conditions, musculoskeletal pain and repetitive strain injury to breathing problems, loss of voice, and sleep disorders.  

Many artists, musicians, dancers, singers and actors use AT to help improve their performance. The purpose of the AT, ultimately, is to allow people who systematically unlearn maladaptive habits (negative) - which can occur in the way we sit, eat, walk or talk - and instead learn to return the body to a steady state relaxed alignment and balance. 

AT is for you?

But you need not be a musician or dancer for the benefit of AT. This is just an example: You, like most of us live in the world today, spend much of their time on a computer or check their e-mails and texts smartphones. This means that you spend much of their time looking down instead of forward, the way they were designed to support the head vertebrae. 

Keep your head tilted for long periods puts continuous pressure on the large muscles of the neck, which are normally intended to be lax. Conversely, small neck muscles (which are designed to keep the neck vertebrae) are not used and therefore are loose. The result is that the vertebrae lose their support if you find yourself not only with neck stiffness or pain, but perhaps some degeneration of the cervical spine, too.

AT can address this habitual contraction of the neck and teach you to keep your phone, how to position the head, and finally, how to restore a better posture and ease in your body.

Is there science to support?

A recent randomized controlled study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that Alexander Technique lessons led to significant reductions in long neck pain 12 months, compared to usual care. (Interestingly, the study also found that acupuncture reduces pain and compared with usual care.)

Another interesting study published in the medical journal BMJ in 2008 tried a variety of treatments for back pain. A total of 579 patients with chronic or recurrent low back pain were randomly divided into four groups. 

The first group received "usual care" of them (for example, they were the control group). The second group received massage. The third was six Alexander Technique lessons. The fourth group took 24 Alexander Technique lessons.  

Half of each group also received a prescription for exercise (especially walking) of a doctor, in addition to a nurse behavioral counseling. The results showed that patients who had lessons with an exercise plan improved more. In addition, the combined response was also the most cost-effective (in particular by taking six lessons combined with an exercise plan).

What does this mean for you?

Supporters of Alexander Technique would say start paying attention. Pay attention to your posture - the way you walk, talk, sit, stand, or generally anything, even lifting a piece of food in his mouth. If you are like most people, your body is probably trapped in tense muscular habits that can cause many problems, headaches back pain, perhaps even anxiety. It may behoove you to unlearn these blocked patterns that can pass through your life easier - and a lot less pain,.

If you are interested in the Alexander Technique, the American Society for the Alexander Technique can help you find an instructor.  
By: Eva Selhub,MD