Trial Finds Alexander Technique Helps Reduce Backpain

Main Category: Back Pain
Article Date: 24 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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The results of an Alexander technique study suggests the method can provide long-term benefit for people with chronic or recurrent low back pain, one of the most common conditions seen by general practitioners. The results are published in the British Medical Journal. Until now there has been no solid evidence that the Alexander technique can help to alleviate back pain.

The research was led by Professor Paul Little of the University of Southampton in collaboration with Professor Debbie Sharp, of Bristol University and was funded by the Medical Research Council and the NHS Research and Development fund.

Professor Little said:

"This is a significant step forward in the long-term management of low back pain. The results of this study reveal that the Alexander Technique can help back pain. It probably does this by limiting muscle spasm, strengthening postural muscles, improving co-ordination and flexibility and decompressing the spine. This means that patients could have fewer activities or functions limited by back pain."

The multi-centre clinical trial involved 579 patients. Participants were split into groups to compare three methods to alleviate pain: a series of 24 Alexander Technique lessons, a course of six Alexander Technique lessons, six sessions of classical massage and normal GP care.

Half of the patients allocated to each of these groups also received a prescription from a GP for aerobic exercise (30 minutes of brisk walking or the equivalent each day) and behavioural counselling from a practice nurse.

The results showed that patients that followed the series of 24 Alexander Technique lessons benefited most. They had improvements in function, quality of life and a reduction in the number of days they suffered pain. One year after the trial started, the average number of activities limited by back pain had fallen by 42 per cent, and the number of days in pain was only three a month compared with 21 days in the control group.

Massage also helped for three months but the effect on activities was no longer significant after one year.

Exercise prescription alone had significant but modest effects on activities at both three and 12 months. However, a series of six Alexander Technique lessons followed by GP-prescribed exercise was about 70 per cent as beneficial as 24 Alexander Technique lessons at one year.

The authors suggest that lessons in the Alexander Technique may have benefited participants by providing an individualised approach to reducing back pain and helping patients to recognise, understand and avoid the habits that affect postural tone and neuromuscular co-ordination.

Original research paper: Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain is published in the British Medical Journal online in BMJ Online First.

Medical Research Council