The Alexander Technique is educational in its foundations: you learn it from a teacher and you apply it to your activities. What is being educated is the self and its use – and when you use yourself poorly, you become more vulnerable to damage and disease.
Thus the benefits of the Alexander Technique continue to be the subject of wide-ranging peer-reviewed scientific research. One highlight is a robust study, published in the British Medical Journal in 2008, of how the Alexander Technique can relieve back pain more effectively than popular therapies.
In another highlight, 2017 saw the publication by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of a new set of guidelines for Parkinson’s Disease. NICE recommends Alexander technique to those with Parkinson’s as a non-pharmacological management intervention for motor symptoms.
The American Society for the Alexander Technique maintains a current and well-organized guide with links here. It features a broad array of topics, from pain management to high-level performance. Some specific topics include:
- relief and management of pain, both general and specific, including back pain, neck pain, and knee pain, repetitive strain injuries, and others
- management of chronic conditions, including Parkinson’s Disease
- dealing with the effects of aging and decrease in mobility
- postural tone
- how the Alexander Technique can help surgeons perform more effectively
- breathing
- stress among professional musicians