Press Release

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Relief for Chronic Back Pain Sufferers
Clinical Trial shows Alexander Technique lessons are effective

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Clinical trial results published in the British Medical Journal show that Alexander Technique lessons provide long-term benefit [BMJ]

The trial results clearly show that 24 one-to-one lessons in the Alexander Technique led to important improvements in function, quality of life and reduction of days in pain for the patients. Following 24 Alexander Technique lessons the average number of activities limited by back pain had fallen by 42%. The number of days in pain was only three per month compared with 21 days in pain in the control group, one year after the trial started.

At three months after the trial started, the group randomly allocated 24 Alexander Technique lessons reported eight days in pain, and the group allocated six lessons reported 13 days in pain in the past month, compared to the control group which reported 24 days in pain. Both Alexander Technique groups showed an improvement in function at three months.

This trial is one of the few major studies to show significant long-term benefits for patients with chronic non-specific low-back pain. 579 patients were involved in a multicentre clinical trial lead by GP researcher Professor Paul Little, University of Southampton, and GP Professor Debbie Sharp, Bristol University, and funded by the Medical Research Council and the NHS Research and Development Fund[MRC]. The trial assessed benefits provided by Alexander Technique lessons, classical massage and normal GP care. Half the patients allocated to each intervention also received a GP prescription for general aerobic exercise (30 minutes of brisk walking or the equivalent each day).

Of all the approaches tested, 24 Alexander Technique lessons, at least half taken within the first three months of the trial, proved to be the most beneficial.

Significantly, a series of six Alexander Technique lessons followed by GP-prescribed exercise was about 70% as beneficial as 24 Alexander Technique lessons alone.

There were no adverse events recorded by any of the participants allocated to the series of six or 24 Alexander Technique lessons.

Since the effect of massage on activities was no longer significant by one year, whereas the effect of Alexander Technique lessons was maintained, the trial authors concluded that the long-term benefits of taking Alexander Technique lessons are unlikely to be due to placebo effects of attention and touch and more likely to be due to active learning of the Technique.

David Moore, chair of The Australian Sopciety of Teacher of the Alexander Technique (AUSTAT) says: “For over 100 years people from all walks of life have learned the Alexander Technique to overcome back pain. We are delighted that this major clinical study now demonstrates that Alexander Technique lessons are effective. One-to-one lessons, provided by teachers from The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT) in the UK, taught trial participants to improve body use, natural balance, co-ordination and movement skills, and to recognise and avoid poor movement habits that cause or aggravate their pain. As Australian teachers have similar training to their British counterparts, Australians with bad backs can be secure in the knowledge that undertaking Alexander technique lessons with members of the Australian Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (AUSTAT) should have similar benifits.”