Scientific research about the Alexander Techinique
Most complementary and alternative medicine approaches do not survive the scrutiny of evidence-based medicine. However, every time AT has been tested, it has shown a significantly greater effect than placebo. Here are a few examples.
For an exhaustive list of research, please visit https://alexandertechnique.co.uk/alexander-technique/published-research
Chronic lower back pain
A large randomized controlled trial about chronic lower back pain was published in the British Medical Journal in 2008. The effectiveness of the Alexander Technique was compare to massage and physical activity. After 24 lessons of AT, 9 months after completing the treatment, patients who started with “pain every day” were down to “pain once a week or less”.
Full text: http://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/337/bmj.a884.full.pdf
Reduction of co-contraction in patients with knee pain
A group of patients with knee pain caused by osteo-arthritis received 20 AT lessons. 15 months later, pain score were still reduced by 56 %. Medial co-contraction (muscles contracting against each other simultaneously) was clearly decrease.
Full text: https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-016-1209-2
Dynamics of sit-to-stand
This study measured different characteristics of the sit-to-stand movement. During the movement, the force under the subject’s feet were measured. Subjects with AT training achieved the same movement with a lower peak of effort and a smoother force curve. The undershoot is also absent: the AT-trained subjects did not pull/lift their legs at the beginning of the movement.
Full text: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0966636211002232
Weight-shift in AT teachers and control subjects. Panels show single trials from seven subjects in each population. Combined vertical foot force normalized to BW over time. All traces have been aligned at seatoff (time=0, vertical dotted line).
Balance in elders
A group of elders went through a set of standardized tests measuring how their balance changes dynamically during varied tasks. The same tests were repeated after AT lessons. The video produced by the researchers shows greater ease and confidence in movement.
Full text: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01924780802073005