Among the natural healing treatments of the world, one is the Alexander technique. Named after the Australian-born actor and elocutionist, Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955) who developed this therapy, this technique is a natural healing therapy that is intended to promote the well-being of the body. The technique is famous among the various alternative therapies of natural healing supplements like acupuncture, aromatherapy, acupressure etc.
This technique uses a simple method of learning to focus ourselves on what we do and how we do it. In our everyday activities we have many unconscious habits and postures that often lead to effort and strain. With the help of Alexander technique, you tend to pay active attention to your postures and habits in order to ensure minimum strain so that you can increase your capacity to learn.
Human body unconsciously interferes with the innate coordination of the body. The healing remedies of Alexander technique stop such interference allowing us to take more complex jobs and bring self-confidence and greater presence of mind. The natural healing remedy provided by this technique is about learning to make our choices by conscious awareness rather than by sub-conscious mind.
Uses of Alexander Technique
The main aim of this technique which is a natural remedy for healing is to bring the body and mind together in harmony. Thus, this technique is a guide to natural healing and can also be used in the treatments of various disorders of the neck, back, and hip. Also, traumatic and repetitive strain injuries, breathing and coordination disorder, chronic pain, arthritis, stress-related disorders and migraine could be cured with the help of this technique.
The technique requires active participation by the patient. The main aim of this technique is to balance your body. Some tips to put your posture in the correct form are:
- No high heel shoes. High heels are bad because they slant the foot that throws the body out of alignment. It causes a lot of stress on the back. Use flats with cushioned soles.
- Do not lock your legs. Men and women both tend to cross their legs and hold the inner thighs together. This leads to back problems.
- Sit straight. Do not slouch. It undermines support of the spine, stretches the ligaments, weakens the muscles, and strains the facet joints in the back of the spine. Sit on a chair that supports your lower back.
- Do not sit in peculiar positions as it causes the body to twist and contort. You must sit with your feet resting on a footrest or a flat floor to give support to your back.
- Do not bend at the waist or with a jerk. That strains the back muscles. Bend such that you knees and ankles do the work along with your hips.
The best way to go about the Alexander technique session is to conduct it one-on-one with a teacher. Patients perform everyday actions like walking, bending, standing or sitting and the teacher corrects them by touching the back, neck or shoulder to help trigger the proper reflexes. The sessions for Alexander technique are not strenuous or physically taxing. No kind of machinery is used in this process.