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[B49]Back Pain Alexander Technique

by Sharon Hopkins, Sha

The Alexander Technique is a method that works to change habits or movements in everyday activities. F. Matthias Alexander was an Australian who is accredited with inventing this therapy. He originally developed the Alexander Technique as a method of vocal training for singers and actors in the 1890s.

It is a simple and practical method for improving ease and freedom of movement, balance, support and coordination. The technique teaches the use of the appropriate amount of effort for a particular activity, giving more energy for all activities. The Alexander Technique is a method, which helps a person to discover a new balance in the body by releasing unnecessary tension. Alexander Technique is the art and science of 'using' oneself better.

The Alexander Technique provides a concrete means for overcoming impeding habits, and for helping people learn better and do things more freely -- from learning to play a musical instrument better to moving with more comfort and ease through daily life. From back pain to learning blocks, whether for a musician or an office worker, Alexander lessons remain fundamentally the same.

The Alexander Technique, however, is not a therapy that treats a passive patient. It is for the person interested in working towards his or her goals with increased awareness and practical intelligence. Although the Alexander Technique does not treat specific symptoms, you can encourage a marked improvement in overall health, alertness, and performance by consciously eliminating harmful habits that cause physical and emotional stress, and by becoming more aware of how you engage in activities.

The technique has many applications in the office. Some of these are simple and straightforward: how to sit at your desk for long periods without backache, how to use a computer without suffering from stiff shoulders or wrist pain, and of course general stress relief and improved self-confidence. Even simple advice on posture will help with some of these things.

Alexander Technique in its advanced stages has some interesting applications in areas like communication, negotiation and leadership. Even dancing provides many interesting opportunities for applying the Alexander Technique. Here, again, it has an important function in injury prevention, but there are also other benefits: in the more creative forms of dance it can prevent mannerisms and open the way out of habitual movement patterns and aid in the exploration of new ways of moving. In the dance forms where predetermined patterns are repeated the technique may help to enhance the quality of movement and coordination.

"If you're one of the nine out of ten adults in the United States who suffers from low back pain, I have good news for you!" states Dr. Nathan Wei, a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland.
"Low back pain is the most expensive work-related injury as well as the third most common reason for a surgical procedure," Dr. Wei adds.
The spine is a complex collection...
It consists of bones, called vertebrae, and the joints that allow them to interact; discs that separate the vertebrae from each other; the spinal cord and nerves; the soft tissues such as muscles and ligaments that help hold the spine together. Your spine has 3 major functions including protecting the spinal cord, supporting the body in an upright position, and allowing the body to move freely.
The four major categories of low back pain are:
&bull Mechanical- arising from either trauma or repetitive motion
&bull Degenerative- usually from arthritic causes
&bull Systemic- arising from medical illnesses
&bull Stress-induced
Mechanical causes are responsible for more than 90% of back pain and the most common cause of back pain is probably muscle injury due to strain or sprain. Other common causes include disc herniation, spondylolisthesis (a condition where the vertebra slips on the one below it), spinal stenoiss (narrowing of the canal that carries the spinal cord), scoliosis (curvature of the spine), osteoporosis (a disease where the bones become fragile and break), and arthritis. Bone tumors are another potential cause.
"Treatment is entirely dependent on diagnosis!"
Dr. Wei says, "There are simple ways to help your back. For instance use the log roll technique to get into and out of bed. Think of your body as a log, and make sure you move it as a unit... rolling into and out of bed."... He says, "use the same idea when getting into and out of your car. Don't twist or stick one leg one way and the other leg a different way. Move your body as a unit..."
Check your work area
Make sure your computer, chair, and other parts of your work environment are "friendly" to your back. Good support for your low back as well as your legs is important.
Exercise regularly
Dr. Wei reminds us, "...Stretching is important for your spine...Since rotation is a key movement and the upright position is part of our daily routine, we need to incorporate exercises that stretch and strengthen those muscles that are important for twisting and for posture."
Space Age Treatment
"A new addition to our low back pain tool kit is a procedure device called intervertebral disc decompression or IDD. It helps decompress the vertebrae non-surgically, and non-invasively. Studies to date have shown a response rate of up to 86%," adds Dr. Wei
Dr. Wei concludes, "Surgical procedures are a last ditch effort...and should be reserved for patients who have pain unresponsive to conservative treatment or who have a progressive neurologic problem."

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Both Sharon Hopkins & Richard Bond are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Sharon Hopkins has sinced written about articles on various topics from Blood Pressure, Massage and Health. Sharon Hopkins contributes content on and