Alexander Technique and Therapeutic Massage Research Study

The Alexander Technique, Exercise and Massage (ATEAM) study on lower back pain is a randomised, double-blind controlled trial comparing Alexander Technique and therapeutic massage, with and without gentle exercise prescribed by a General Practitioner or medical doctor.

The ATEAM trial was published in the prestigious British Medical Journal.

579 back pain sufferers participated.

Intervention	Days in pain per month afterwards	Change
Control (no treatment)	21	-
6 sessions therapeutic massage	14	33%
6 Alexander Technique lessons	11	48%
24 Alexander Technique lessons	3	86%

The effect of Alexander Technique lessons on days of back pain per month was maintained for the length of the trial, 1 year, with no significant harms reported. Therapeutic massage had lost its effectiveness at 3 months.

With 24 Alexander Technique lessons, it was observed that, one year later, the patients' backs had not stopped improving.

The ATEAM authors and a follow-up economic evaluation also showed that GP-prescribed exercise coupled with 6 Alexander Technique lessons was a highly cost-effective combination (72% as effective as 24 Alexander Technique lessons.)

The full text of the article is available here.

For more information about the Alexander Technique, see here.

SBI!