Page 85 - Total War on PTSD

Medical acceptance of the Alexander Technique is growing as awareness increases, and scientific research continues to find funding. Scientific endeavors began with Frank Pierce Jones and a group of professionals from major universities in the Massachusetts area in the 1960s and 1970s. Techniques like multiple image photography, electromyography (a rough way to measure changes in the electrical potential of muscle), and X-ray photography helped document movement with and without the technique. It also confirmed the head, neck, and back relationship, demonstrating that the brain stem is where tension initiates when individuals experience “startle.” The startle reflex is, "A reflex seen in normal infants in response to loud noise. The infant makes a sudden body movement, bringing the legs and arms toward the chest.” (MedicineNet).
The British Medical Journal first published a study on the Alexander Technique and its success in treating back pain in 2008. Dr. David Garlick, University of New South Wales, had done studies on the physiological mechanisms of the technique. Aside from the science behind this work and the specific studies being done to confirm its efficacy, there continues to be a challenge in describing and understanding the Alexander Technique and how it works from the layman’s perspective. Consider that our emotional state is easily felt and transferable. We connect energetically with each other. Walk into a room where everyone is tense, and you are not welcome; chances are you will feel this tension. Walk into a room full of loving people happy to see you, and that too will be tangible. The scientific work to describe this phenomenon that we all know is still young. Science is still catching up with the Alexander Technique.
An Alexander teacher’s thinking is shared with their student. You connect with your teacher through your senses. The teacher must think in their body in a way they want their student to feel in theirs. The work is experiential, much like learning to ride a bicycle. Few can read a book on how to ride a bike and be successful in their first endeavor. Instead, repeated tries are more likely to lead you to success. Once you’ve experienced the sense of balance required to ride, it will likely stay with you.
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