Low Back Pain
Ease Your Back Pain with The Alexander Technique
A recent study involving 597 people published in the British Medical Journal proved that the Alexander Technique helps back pain. (Click here for study summary.)
One of the most painful positions for a person with low back pain is to be seated. We all tend to slump; putting ourselves in a ‘C curve’. Often times when we’re not slumping we’re sitting up rigidly straight with what we think of as ‘good posture.’
Neither of these positions is very good for us. When we slump we are creating a hinge in the spine, where none exists. The spine can curve as an integrated unit, but it isn’t beneficial for us to hinge from one point (L5-S1 for instance.) We very well may be putting pressure on our discs creating our own pain. That’s the bad news. The good news is that with the aid of the Alexander Technique, we can do something about it.
Don’t concern yourself with trying to sit up straight. This will just add rigidity to the mix, and you won’t be able to maintain this ‘good posture’. Instead, think about sitting on your sit bones rather than your tailbone. The sit bones are two ‘U’ shaped bones on the bottom of your bottom. If you lean to one side, and put your hand underneath you from the side, you can feel one. Think, then feel your sit bones releasing down into the chair as your head moves up. This is one of many Alexander Technique oppositions.
Let your head lead your spine into length. You want to lengthen your spine, instead of compressing it. (If you notice a bigger breath coming in, or fuller breathing in general, you’re probably on the right track.)
You’ll be giving the nerves coming from your spinal cord a little more room. It’s almost as if you can give yourself gentle traction, whenever you remember these principles. If you’re in pain, you may remember these Alexander Technique principles quite often!
Mark Josefsberg-Alexander Technique NYC
917.709.4648
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