ander Technique

[Guest guest]

Rosemary,

I've answered the following questions you posed with regard to the

Technique. I've posted it here as I have received a number

of queries from this group.

1) Training and Certification.

To become a member of a reputable professional body such as

AmSAT, STAT or ATI, each person must complete a three year training

course. Students training for qualification do not need to have a

medical background because the technique is educational in nature. An

Teacher should not diagnosis a medical condition, unless

they hold other suitable qualifications. There are a number of

medical trained Teachers from fields such as physical

therapy but this does not make them better teachers. I think you need

not worry about The Technique being a fad. It has been

around since the late 1880's and due to the nature of the work, such

as the level of personal commitment required, I don't think it will

ever have the popular appeal to be classified as a fad.

What happens in a lesson?

The biologist Coghill wrote of the Technqiue:-

" has further demonstrated the very important psychological

principle that the proprioceptive system can be brought under

conscious control, and can be educated to carry to the motor centres

the stimulus which is responsible for the muscular activity which

brings about a manner of working (use) of the mechanism of correct

posture. "

This is the objective of the lesson. I always stress before people

start lessons that it is not a quick fix due to our habitual nature.

The Technique is educational and therefore anyone wishing to learn

takes lessons. This is an important point to note. An individual

coming to a session is a pupil, not a patient, and therefore takes an

active role in the process. People coming for their first lesson have

very different expectations. Some anticipate a miraculous cure after

one lesson, or expect to be wired up to a box of technical wizardry

to speed up the process. The Technique is none of these and

some can be put off by its subtlety. The lesson is very different

from previous educational encounters as here the pupil is shown what

not to do to allow freedom from habit. A pupil performs a series of

movements whilst thinking a set of `orders', as instructed by the

teacher. The most important aspect of the lesson is for the pupil to

inhibit the initial reaction and think through the response. To watch

a lesson does not give much insight as very little appears to happen

to the untrained eye. The real work is at the fundamental level where

thought becomes action. Pupils have difficulty in explaining what

happens in a lesson without appearing vague or mad. The subjective

experience can only be appreciated by taking lessons. The objective

is to learn how to stop doing the things that interfere with natural

functioning.

A lesson is on a one-to-one basis lasting about forty-five minutes

(some teachers will do introductory group courses). The teacher

guides the pupil through a series of movements whilst giving verbal

instruction. The initial response for most is to attempt to complete

the act by applying the amount of effort determined by the habit.

This is usually far too much due to poor co-ordination. The pupil is

therefore encouraged to inhibit their habitual response to a

stimulus, such as `stand up', and become aware of any unnecessary

actions they may perform. This will help to overcome the problem of

inappropriate postural preparation and promote freer movement with

appropriate muscle tension. These activities provide a new sensory

experience of movement with better balance and co-ordination. The

gradual process of performing everyday movements without excessive

effort changes overall functioning. Muscles are re-conditioned more

effectively when used in a manner suited to their intended function

with appropriate effort.

The pupil is asked not to try to get it right to avoid guidance from

their habit. If I perform an act how I believe to be right, I will

continue to use the same patterns. I will also become frustrated if I

cannot achieve what seems to be a simple request without tightening

the wrong muscles. An attitude of frustration brings about more

muscle tension. Following the teacher's instructions, without trying

to get it right can be difficult initially, as conventional education

has instilled the need to be right.

We have to become aware of our tendency to react without prior

thought. This concept is difficult to appreciate as all but the

youngest suffer from this behaviour.

Kevan is a Director of the Institute of Neuroinformatics in

Zurich, a new field of study into how the brain processes

information, and has speculated on the process after a number of

lessons.

" What may be happening is that we open the thalamic gateway a little

wider and so tap into more of the parallel pathways available in our

neocortex. In the process we raise and expand our consciousness of

self and surroundings. This expansion becomes obvious to us as

pupils when after a dozen lessons we find ourselves

curiously uncomfortable with our old ways of behaviour ..... Through

the process of re-learning, not only do the old nerve pathways

transmit new messages with new efficiency, but, even in adults,

additional parallel pathways begin to form in response to the new

use. It is as if each day the searchlight shines with new intensity

and illuminates more and more. "

Injury and Pain

Following injury we learn new habits to compensate for the condition –

such as limping due to an injured ankle. During this time new

movements patterns are `laid down'. During rehabilitation these

patterns are consolidated through repetition and may continue to be

used after recovery. We generally remain oblivious to these changes

directly because few of us are consciously aware of how we move. We

may notice a deterioration in performance but not recognise the

cause. Whatever the condition, we all develop unnecessary patterns of

movement that can make life more difficult. A recent trial with

patients suffering from Parkinsons Disease showed that learning the

Technique helped improve mobility. It is obviously not a

cure for the disease but like anyone else the subjects were capable

of learning to prevent habits that interfere with movement

(frustration with their condition being a prime example!)

The Teacher does not manipulate or massage the pupil. The

pupil is guided by light touch and is not considered obtrusive. Most

teachers have experience of working with people in pain. There are a

growing number of medical practitioners who are familiar with the

technique and happy to use a teacher. The following are quotes from

various medical sources:-

" The Technique remains the best of the self-care strategies

to prevent the sequel of poor posture and poor breathing. " - Harold

Wise, MD, PC, New York, NY

" The Technique stresses unification in an era of greater

and greater medical specialization. Its educational system teaches

people how to best use their bodies in ordinary action to avoid or

reduce unnecessary stress and pain. In enables clients to get better

faster and stay better longer. This is undoubtedly the best way to

take care of the back and alleviate back pain. " - Jack Stern, MD,

PhD, Neurosugical Group of Westchester, White Plains, NY

" Lessons in the Technique taught me how to sit in a state

of lumbrosacral poise, and my chronic low back pain gradually became

cured. The Technique is true education. Compared to surgery (e.g. for

low back pain or for chronic obstructive lung disease) a course of

instruction is inexpensive. " - H. M. Austin, MD, Professor of

Radiology; Chief, Division of Radiology, Columbia-Presbyterian

Medical Center, New York, NY

" The Technique makes sense in that appropriate use of the

body will lead to reduction of various musculoskeletal disorders and

remediate others which are established. No equipment is needed, just

he skill and training of the teacher. This technique is very

worthwhile as a primary preventative therapy. It is especially useful

when posture is a key factor in back injuries while lifting and for

workers who perform repetitive tasks while sitting. " - D.

Greene, MD, Emergency Department, Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, CT

" I recommend people to the Technique who have not improved

with traditional rehabilitative therapies. Part of their pain may be

due to posture and the improper use of their bodies. Many people who

have neck or back pain and have gone through heat, ultrasound and

massage with no relief can be helped by learning the

Technique. It definitely works. Nothing works for everyone, as one

well-versed in using physical therapy and biofeedback, I know how

valuable this technique is. I highly recommend it. " - Barry M.

Schienfeld, MD, Specialist in Rehabilitation Medicine and Pain

Management, Community General Hospital, , NY

I hope this goes someway to answering your questions. It really is

quite difficult to explain (someone once liken the task as `trying to

describe music to someone who has never heard a note'). The best way

is to try a few lessons.

Roy Palmer

Bedford

United Kingdom

[Guest guest]

OR DCs,

Anybody out there do Technique, or know someone who does?

Thanks,

C Simpson