Does sitting at your desk cause you pain or discomfort?
Does standing around make your back and body ache?
Does carrying your bag cause you neck and shoulder complaints?
Becoming aware of your movements is liberating and the basis for all activities, from yoga to running to horse riding or playing a musical instrument or singing. If we don’t know how to sit well without discomfort, how can we expect to perform well in any other activity. These are all problems that are remedied when you become aware of your body and know how to use it well.
Learning the Alexander Technique helps you to get rid off tension in the body that makes posture rigid and can cause us pain, which in the long run can cause an injury. With the help of this technique, people become more aware of the things they do that cause them pain or discomfort. This results in a long term solution to learn how to keep yourself tension-free, so that you can move effortlessly in any posture.
The Alexander Technique, was founded by Frederick M. Alexander, 1869-1955, who had lost his voice and through self study for several years was able to recover all by himself. His story illustrates the Technique very well. The Alexander Technique enhances your mental and physical vitality by becoming more aware involving at the heart of its teaching, the complete re-education of posture.
Who can benefit
Since 1894 this Technique has helped people change habits which may feel normal, but can lead directly to physical ailments. These include conditions such as: back pain, neck and shoulder tension, joint pains, breathing and vocal problems and also anxiety and stress-related conditions. Anyone can benefit from it including those without an ailment, who just wish to optimise their well being.
The British Medical Journal published a report on the technique and described it as a cost effective option for the NHS to alleviate back pain.
BBC reports: Back pain eased by good posture
Low back pain is one of the most common conditions seen by GPs Long-term back pain can be relieved through encouraging sufferers to adopt good posture through the Alexander technique, say UK researchers.
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The Technique has various applications from office work to performing on stage, dealing with pregnancy and pain, to improvement in sport.
