Saturday, March 31, 2007

All you need to know about: The Alexander Technique

What's it all about?The Alexander technique is a gentle approach that aims to re-educate the mind and the body through a series of movements so the body uses muscles more efficiently. The relationship between head and spine is key. When the neck muscles work well, the head should balance lightly at the top of the spine.
What the expert says ...
Brita Forsstrom has been an Alexander technique teacher since 1984. She now runs teacher training courses as well as classes in London. 'The Alexander technique is really about telling a client what not to do - that is, helping them to unlearn poor postural habits,' says Forsstrom. 'People don't often appreciate that, if you change the way your head, neck and back move, then all other movements in your body can improve. Thus it can help every area of sport technique, from running style to golf swing or tennis serve.'Try to be constantly aware of the way you're sitting, standing and moving; the tension that is causing the postural problems lies within your own body. It is about developing an awareness of where that tension is and then addressing it.
'There is no one correct position for your body - it's about adjusting your position to suit different situations. For example, when working at your desk, rest against the back of the chair. When you're having a phone conversation, sit up near the front of the seat rather than leaning back, so you're not engaged in forward lean, which can put strain on the spine.
'Every day, take time to lie down on a firm but comfortable surface. Recline for about 20 minutes with your knees bent, pointing up to the ceiling with a few paperback books to support your head. This classic Alexander position offers important rest both for your mind and body, allowing tension to be released and the back to lengthen in a coordinated way with the rest of body.
'While standing, keep the balance even between the front and back of the feet and avoid slumping down on one hip. An open-eyed attitude to your surroundings helps to keep you poised and balanced in any situation.
'The Alexander technique is suitable for everyone,' she says. 'It can help actors and professional athletes, but is just as good for pregnant women, new mothers, individuals with long-suffering back problems and patients with chronic diseases.'

Source - Guardian

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It works for me: acupuncture

One woman’s life had been crippled by osteoarthritis until she found relief in Chinese medicineChristmas 2005 wasn’t much fun for 73-year-old Maureen Vine. She had long been a sufferer from chronic osteoarthritis in her knees, hips and back and she was now afflicted by an arthritic right ankle, which left her in pain and limping. “My youngest grandchild was 4 years old and he couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t play with him on the floor on Christmas Day,” Vine recalls. “It was just too painful. The terrible pain in my ankle spread to the sole of my foot, and I could hardly walk.”
Vine had suffered from osteoarthritis — in which wear and tear causes joint stiffness and pain — in the back, hips, and knees for 30 years, and had tried occasional physiotherapy, which had brought a little relief. But a stomach condition meant that she had to avoid antiinflammatory medication or strong painkillers. In November 2005 her right ankle began showing signs that it, too, had become arthritic and by the new year, Vine was at her GP in Hackney, East London.
“She prescribed some painkillers that I can tolerate called Co-dydramol,” Vine says. “I was taking eight a day, but they barely took the edge off the pain. I usually enjoy a daily walk around the park, but now I was housebound. Then I remembered that my son had recently tried acupuncture for his arthritic shoulder and said that it had worked wonders. Although I knew nothing about it and was a bit sceptical, I was willing to try anything. So I asked my doctor for a referral.”

Source - Times

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Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Back pain linked to brain changes

Chronic back pain is linked to physical changes in the brain, according to researchers in Germany.
A team found patients with the condition also had microstructural changes in the pain-processing areas of their brains.
The scientists said the work provided evidence that the condition was real and it could aid treatment research.
The research was presented at the Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting, in Chicago.
To study the condition, the researchers used a technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to look at the differences between sufferers' and healthy volunteers' brains.
They discovered the brains of patients with chronic back pain had a more complex and active microstructure compared with the healthy volunteers' brains.
The changes occurred in regions of the brain associated with pain-processing, emotion and stress response.

Source - BBC

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