Physical Therapy and the Alexander Technique
I have been dealing with a shoulder injury for the last few months. I experienced limitations in my range of motion in my left arm, specifically when reaching up high or behind me, along with pain when I tried to move it in these directions.
For the first time in my life I was prescribed a course of Physical Therapy. I was pleased not only to be getting help with my condition, but also to gain some firsthand experience of what so many of my own Alexander Technique students go through.
Luckily my diagnosis of a possible rotator cuff tear was quickly downgraded to “just” a frozen shoulder, as I responded so quickly and well to the therapy.
From this limited experience, I found these to be the main strengths of Physical Therapy (PT):
- Knowledge and evaluation tools to assess exactly what muscle group/s are affected.
- A whole range of exercises targeting specific muscle groups to aid movement and flexibility and/or strengthening.
- Manual manipulation techniques to encourage, and indeed force, movement.
I felt, however, that a truly holistic approach to how the part (in my case the left shoulder) functions in relation to the whole was missing. I also would challenge what seemed to be a basic assumption that the patient could more or less accurately follow the instructions for specific exercises, especially when given a home program with no supervision.
It is in these two areas that I believe Alexander Technique has a lot to offer, and is likely one reason I made such good progress.
The Alexander Technique is all about HOW we do what we do. It helps us do any activity as efficiently as possible, with good balance and coordination, and using the least amount of tension necessary.
As you become skilled in applying the Alexander Technique in your life, you gain a more accurate awareness of how you use your body, and learn ways to consciously stop the poor habits of movement, posture and tension that we develop over the years.
This helped me immensely in my approach to my exercises, and also enabled me to release tension during the more forceful and/or painful moments of the manual therapy, which allowed it to be more successful.
I shudder to think how I might have coped with some aspects of Physical Therapy in my “pre-Alexander” days. In fact, while some people benefit greatly from Physical Therapy, I know others who have given up on it as it didn’t seem to be working, or worse still, have had their problem exacerbated by it. I can only guess that this, in many cases, was at least in part due to unconscious habits of poor posture and excess tension that they brought to the therapy and the exercises.
As with any profession, not all Physical Therapists are created equal, and different approaches, philosophies and trainings abound. I can only speak of my own experience, which I would categorize as a competent example of “standard” Physical Therapy practice. Being able to apply the Alexander Technique while undergoing Physical Therapy proved to be a winning combination for me, and I believe would help almost anyone make the most of their treatment.
If you’ve had Physical Therapy, what was your experience?
And if you’re also a student of the Alexander Technique, did that help you?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Great post Imogen! When I recently underwent a few months of p/t for the torn meniscus in my knee, I did feel that the combination of p/t and AT was a win win situation…as you describe. I was lucky in that I had a marvelous physical therapist and I adored working with her. Being well organized in the AT sense sure helped me along. However, when I had p/t after my neck surgery, in my pre-AT days, it was not successful, even though my therapist at that time was also impeccable. The unrelieved pain is what led me to my first AT lesson. My therapist marveled at the fact that a month of AT lessons could effect a change so quickly in me, whereas over two years of physical therapy did not.
That’s really good to hear, Rena. And thanks for the feedback on your “pre-Alexander” PT experience. It’s what some of my students have reported too… So glad that we both found the Alexander Technique – it makes everything work better 🙂
Isn’t that the truth Imogen! And to think that the AT was recommended to me by two surgeons!!! 😀
Wow – you were lucky to have those surgeons!
Sometimes a piece of luck comes out of left field! 🙂
Great article and making the most of your experiences too.
I too have had PT for past injuries but I was fortunate to have a PT who was also a Feldenkrais practitioner and I know that this was very helpful. She was also aware of the benefits of Alexander Technique and we worked together to find how I needed to think of the exercise in order to do them in the most beneficial way. I have watched friends do their PT prescribed exercises at home and witnessed that the exercises were undoubtedly not being done in the same way they were done when the PT was there to direct the patient.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Kit. You sound like you had a wonderful PT that really helped you work in a mindful, holistic way. I think that doing exercises without supervision is one of the most common ways for people to encounter problems.
Dear Imogen,
I too have had the “ADVANTAGE” of being able to utilize the Alexander Technique for 14 years and continue to learn through life applications. In January of 2013 I had to relearn everything! I had a very bad Multiple Sclerosis exacerbation that hit my voice, ability to walk and keep my balance. I give great weight to the Alexander Technique for giving me the right thinking processes to get to restoration!! Today my singing voice is almost to 3 octaves again. I have mobility back. I never take anything for granted, and allow myself the time to think things through before commencing the movement required to complete the task at hand. BRAVO IMOGEN!
Hi Barbara, Thanks so much for sharing your story. What a wonderful testimonial to the power of the Alexander Technique!
Great post — Imogen! What a delight to help people get more out of their therapy and back on the road to healthful functioning sooner 🙂
Thanks, Ariel! And my next post will be all about how we all need a teacher! You will be mentioned, for sure 😉
Imogen, great point. I believe what you say about PT is applicable to most other disciplines too. Knowledge of the AT allows you to make better use of any advice given by any type of movement specialist.
Absolutely 🙂
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Hi Imogen, great post!
As an AT teacher, I always ask my pupils to show me the exercises their physio (if they have one) has asked them to do. We then explore the exercise and “bring the AT to it” to encourage further mobility and often better coordination. One lady recently had been getting PT for two years for a smashed up shoulder (horse riding accident) and after her first lesson with me her physio asked “What have you been doing?” Her shoulder rotation had improved by 20% simply by inviting release in the shoulder. The PT had been using a protractor to measure mobility on an ongoing basis, so this was an objective measurement. As I often say, improve whatever you are doing with Alexander… Said Lady is now very happy to be able to touch the top of her head so she can put her hair up!
That’s fabulous, Sarah! I also often work with my students on their PT exercises, so it was fascinating for me to experience it from the other side of things. Applying the Alexander Technique to the exercises can indeed make a huge difference in their effectiveness, and I benefited from this myself.