The Alexander Technique has been established internationally for more than 100 years and has had support from prominent physicians and surgeons ever since its inception. Doctors who are well-informed about the Technique are happy to refer their patients to AT teachers, and such referrals are on the increase as doctors gain experience of how cost-effective a course of lessons can be in the management of many disorders. Several Alexander teachers are doctors, physiotherapists or even dentists, themselves!

Analysing ‘misuse’

When analysing our ‘misuse’ medically, invariably, the muscles of the neck are over-contracted, causing loss of free poise of the head on top of the spine. This leads to over-contraction of some muscles of the trunk, and lack of proper tone in other supporting muscles of the body. This results in exaggeration of the natural curves of the spine, harmful pressure on the vertebrae and on the joints, coupled with overwork in the arms and legs. In short, we get a state of affairs where the work of supporting the body is being wrongly distributed – the form of the body distorted – and important functions such as breathing, blood circulation and digestion are working inefficiently and under enormous strain.