Health Story

22 November 2008 19:31 BST

'Beat back pain with discipline'

A physical movement discipline with a focus on self-perception could have long-term benefits for people with chronic back pain.

A UK study has found regular one-to-one Alexander technique lessons could greatly improve sufferers' quality of life.

The Alexander technique is a personalised approach to help patients develop lifelong skills for self care to improve postural tone and muscular coordination.

It is an educational technique taught to be practiced by patients on their own and is not a form of exercise.

Back pain causes more disability than almost any other condition in western societies, but very few effective long-term treatments are available to patients, background information in today's study states.

Previous research shows that the Alexander technique and massage may help relieve back pain in the short-term, but little is known about the long-term outcomes.

A research team from the universities of Southampton and Bristol compared the effectiveness of massage, exercise and the Alexander technique for the relief of back pain over one year.

The research, published online on BMJ.com, involved 579 patients with chronic or recurrent pack pain from 64 general practices in south-west England.

Patients were randomised to receive normal care, massage, six Alexander technique lessons, or 24 Alexander technique lessons. Half of the patients from each of the groups were also prescribed an exercise programme of brisk walking for 30 minutes per day five times a week.

They were later sent disability questionnaires at three months and one year to record which activities were limited by their back pain. For example, walking more slowly than usual or getting out of the house often.

The study's authors discovered that after one year, exercise combined with lessons in the Alexander technique significantly reduced pain and improved functioning whereas massage offered little benefit after three months.

After one year of Alexander technique lessons, patients reported fewer days with back pain over the past four weeks. Patients receiving normal care reported 21 days of back pain, compared to those who received 24 lessons of Alexander technique who experienced 18 fewer days of pain. Those who had six lessons reported ten fewer days of pain and those having massage said they had seven fewer days of pain.

In addition, patients receiving Alexander technique lessons reported improved quality of life.

Six one-to-one lessons in the Alexander technique followed by exercise had nearly as much benefit as 24 lessons in the Alexander technique alone.

"Massage is helpful in the short term but the Alexander technique retained effectiveness at one year," the study's authors conclude. "The results should apply to most patients with chronic or recurrent back pain."