Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol 54, Issue 1 M8-11, Copyright © 1999 by The Gerontological Society of America

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Functional reach improvement in normal older women after Alexander Technique instruction

RJ Dennis
Alexander Technique of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. rondennis@compuserve.com

BACKGROUND: Functional reach (FR) is a clinical measure of balance. The Alexander Technique (AT) is a nonexercise approach to the improvement of body mechanics. This study investigated a possible relationship between FR performance and AT instruction. METHODS: Three groups comprised of women older than 65, with the exception of one male control, were studied: (i) a pilot group, and (ii) experimental and (iii) control groups. Groups 1 and 2 were given eight 1-hour, biweekly sessions of AT instruction with pre- and posttests in FR, whereas Group 3 was given only pre- and posttests in FR. RESULTS: Groups 1 and 2 both showed significant improvement in FR performance. Group 2 was retested 1 month after posttest and showed a slight decrease in FR performance. For Groups 1 and 2, a questionnaire allowing qualitative responses on a four-item scale showed an overall positive response to the AT instruction. CONCLUSIONS: AT instruction may be effective in improving balance and thereby reducing the incidence of falls in normal older women.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. W Cacciatore, F. B Horak, and S. M Henry Improvement in Automatic Postural Coordination Following Alexander Technique Lessons in a Person With Low Back Pain Physical Therapy, June 1, 2005; 85(6): 565 - 578. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]