Alexander Technique: A Balm For Back Pain?

From NPR's Morning Edition:

He's been a working trumpet player for four decades, and all that back-arching and shoulder-pinching has left him with chronic pain in his lower back. Research suggests an alternative therapy called Alexander Technique may be an effective way to treat back pain.

Rodriguez first tried massage, chiropractic, and powerful pain killers. But finding a remedy for back pain can be a lot like a guessing game.

He says it was only through Alexander Technique lessons that he trained his body to move in a way that eased his aching back. Alexander Technique is a series of posture lessons, devised by a 19th century Australian actor named F.M. Alexander who had troubles with chronic laryngitis whenever he performed.

"It's a feeling of working with yourself from the inside out," says Rodriguez. "If you know you're twisting a certain way and using too much force, it's easy enough to know, Let that go."

And

These aren't static postures, though. Those who promote the technique say its more about how you move, and training yourself to release tension.

These are subtle – tiny, almost imperceptible shifts. And although the teacher will put her hand on your neck or shoulder, it's more to bring awareness than to make adjustments.

"The whole point is that you understand the process so that you can arrive there yourself," says Gray.

Read or listen to the rest here.

The long and short of the report is that there is now a pretty solid medical study supporting the notion that the Alexander Technique makes your back feel better. And it does. I know this because I've personally experienced it.

I'm not sure when it happened, probably some years before I first learned about the technique at the U of Texas theater department back in the late 80s, but serious conservatory training programs for professional actors have long embraced Alexander work as something every serious Thespian needs to practice. The idea, as explained in the above linked story, is that it's good for your voice, allowing maximum usage with minimum wear and tear, while at the same time making the actor look great on stage, what with its elegant postural outcome.

Unfortunately, it's rather vague and mysterious, and very easy to dismiss as bullshit. Indeed, that's exactly what I did back in the day. It wasn't until many years later, when I was studying acting at LSU's graduate school that, as a wiser and more mature grownup, I finally decided to give it a fairer shot. And it was really frustrating at first. Alexander asks you to develop an awareness of your body that you've probably never had, noticing muscles you've never noticed, paying attention to movement and posture that has been off the radar your entire life.

But I kept plugging away at it. By my third year at LSU, I was finally starting to notice a payoff. I wasn't getting neck cricks anymore. My back which often ached a bit at the end of the day felt loose and relaxed. Simple movement, like walking across the room, became more effortless, almost like gliding. And, oh yeah, my voice, which was often hoarse back when I was teaching, got a lot better--much of that is attributable to my voice classes, but I have to give lot of credit to the Alexander Technique, too. I don't think I mastered the technique, but I've certainly gotten a lot out of it. It definitely helps me as a waiter, what with all the walking and hefting of food trays.

People who know me or read this blog know that I'm not one to go in for such New Age bullshit, but that's the thing: AT is neither New Age nor bullshit; it just comes off that way to the uninitiated. Make no mistake. This is some good stuff. I, personally, don't need any medical studies to make me a believer, but it's very nice to know that science is starting to figure out what actors and singers in this country have known for decades.

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