Does Alexander Technique Work?

Colin Beattie - Alexander Technique Teacher Northern Ireland

The Alexander Technique is not a treatment, it is an educational process that teaches people how to recognise patterns of excessive muscular tension and inefficient coordination, particularly in everyday activities such as sitting, standing, walking, speaking, or breathing.

Through guided verbal instruction and light manual contact, clients learn to:

Inhibit automatic reactions that produce strain

Improve balance and postural tone without force

Breathe and move with more functional integration.

Sessions are conducted one-to-one. Clients remain fully clothed, and the focus is on awareness rather than exercise.

However, many people that practice it have claimed they have noticed health benefits as a result. So does Alexander Technique work?

Information for Medical Professionals

Does Alexander Technique Work?

The Alexander Technique has been included on the NHS website since 2008, particularly in relation to chronic back and neck pain. The NHS notes its potential to support better postural awareness, breathing, and long-term self-management of musculoskeletal discomfort.

What is the evidence that Alexander Technique Works?

A landmark randomised controlled trial, published in the British Medical Journal (Little et al., 2008) demonstrated that a short course of Alexander Technique lessons significantly reduced pain and improved functioning in patients with chronic lower back pain, with lasting results at one-year follow-up.

A 2011 Review in the International Journal of Clinical Practice systematically evaluated the available evidence for the effectiveness and safety of the Alexander Technique. It found that strong evidence exists for its effectiveness for chronic back pain and moderate evidence in Parkinson’s-associated disability. Preliminary evidence suggested that Alexander Technique may improve balance skills in the elderly, and, in the general population, chronic pain, posture, respiratory function and stuttering.

While evidence in efficacy for treating back pain has the strongest data, patients have also reported improvements in:

Tension, headaches and musculoskeletal discomfort

Breathing disorders and vocal fatigue

Stress-related symptoms (anxiety, sleep disturbance, fatigue

Postural adaptations post-surgery or post-injury

There are no known adverse effects when taught by a qualified teacher. However, it may not be suitable for individuals with severe cognitive impairment or acute psychiatric conditions without additional support.

“A series of six lessons in the Alexander Technique, followed by regular self-practice, resulted in a statistically significant reduction in days in pain and an improvement in quality of life.”

BMJ, 2008

About Colin

As a member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT), I am bound by strict professional standards, including:

Minimum 3-year training (1600+ hours)

Ongoing professional development

Public liability insurance

Confidentiality and safeguarding protocols

As a teacher, I am happy to liaise with referring clinicians and contribute to multidisciplinary support where appropriate. My practice is based in Drumbeg, between Belfast and Lisburn, and I also offer occasional workshops and workplace visits on request. For more structured care environments, on-site group workshops or brief educational sessions can also be arranged.

Should medical professionals recommend Alexander Technique?

While not a replacement for medical care, the growing body of research, coupled with patient-reported outcomes and long-term functional change, suggests that the Technique deserves a place in conversations about self-management, prevention, and recovery.

It may be particularly useful for:

Patients who have reached a plateau in manual therapy

Individuals managing long-term pain without a clear structural cause.

Those at risk of recurring strain, postural fatigue, or vocal/movement overuse

Clients seeking to regain autonomy in their healing process

In my experience, the Technique is often a turning point for patients who have tried

Alexander Technique session Northern Ireland

Evidence

The NHS recognises that the Alexander Technique can be effective in supporting people with chronic back and neck pain. A major study published in the British Medical Journal confirmed long-term improvements in pain and daily functioning for those who practised the Technique.

NHS: Alexander Technique Overview

BMJ: Clinical Study on AT for Back Pain

There is also evidence that it can help people suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. However, it’s not a medical treatment and many people who have benefitted from the approach have used it alongside conventional treatments or alternative therapies with great success.

Statement by the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique has been established in the UK for over 100 years and has had support from prominent physicians and surgeons ever since its inception.

The Technique is primarily educational in nature, but learning and applying it may have therapeutic benefits and preventive consequences for the health of the individual. Anecdotal evidence shows that patients with the following conditions may benefit from applying the Technique to the extent that the way they use themselves (their cerebral and neuromuscular systems) is a factor in the causation and/or continuance of the particular disorder.

Spondylosis · Scoliosis · Parkinson’s disease · Osteoarthritis · Cerebral palsy · Multiple sclerosis · Functional disorders · Dystonias · Asthma · Hyperventilation · Migraine (some types) · Tension Headaches · Stress · High blood pressure · Backache and/or neck ache, where posture is a factor · Some voice disorders and vocal cord nodules · Non-specific regional pain syndrome · Backache in pregnancy · Anxiety states (including performance anxiety) · Temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction · Rehabilitation after stroke, injury, operation or other treatment

The Parkinson’s Disease Society has funded research into the Alexander Technique (Click here to link to the paper) as has The Foundation for Integrated Medicine. Many patients’ self-help groups such as The Migraine Trust, The Dyspraxia Trust, The Marfan Association UK, The Scoliosis Association (UK) acknowledge the value of the Technique.

The British Association for Performing Arts Medicine endorses the value of the Technique in the management of performers’ medical problems. Leading specialists in the field routinely refer their patients for Alexander lessons in a wide variety of disorders.

Increasingly, as doctors gain experience of how cost-effective a course of lessons can be in the management of many disorders, they are referring their patients to Alexander Technique Teachers. The NICE guidelines (to Doctors) for Parkinson’s Disease now include a recommendation for patients to learn the Alexander Technique.

Lessons can be given privately, or they can, in certain circumstances, be paid for through the National Health Service, either in a few hospitals throughout the UK, (e.g. Westmoreland General Hospital, Kingston-Upon-Thames Hospital) or in General Practice. A GP may obtain funding for Alexander Technique at the discretion of the local Primary Care Group. (Lessons must be given in the GP’s surgery, not at the Alexander teacher’s premises.)

Many of the major private medical insurance companies accept claims for Alexander lessons where these have been recommended by a medically qualified specialist (ie. a Consultant) as part of his/her plan of management for that patient. Some (eg. ACTPLAN, I.G.I.) do so on a GP’s recommendation.

Published by the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique
1st Floor, Linton House, 39-51 Highgate Road, London NW5 1RS
Tel. 020 7284 3338
E-mail enquiries@stat.org.uk

Contact Colin

If you would like to explore whether the Alexander Technique could support one of your patients, or if you are a clinician interested in experiencing a session for yourself, please feel free to get in touch.

Does Alexander Technique Work?

Information for Medical Professionals

What is the evidence that Alexander Technique Works?

About Colin

Should medical professionals recommend Alexander Technique?

Evidence

Statement by the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique

Contact Colin

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