Debunking Myths About Posture:Understanding How It Harms or

Improves Health

2018 AAPB Webinar

Presented by Tami Bulmash, M.A.AmSAT Certified Alexander Technique Teacher

Body and Posture LLCwww.BodyandPosture.com

Overview of SessionPart I: Delving into Posture

• Varying Definitions of Posture

• Health Implications of Good and Poor Posture

• Models of Good Posture

Part II: Introducing the Alexander Technique

• FM Alexander

• My background with the Alexander Technique

• Body Education

• The Alexander Technique and Body Awareness

Part III Can it Help Me?

• Who Benefits?

• Tips

• Closing

Part I: Delving into Posture

What Do You Think of When You Imagine‘Good Posture’?

What Do You Associate with Poor Posture?

This is Not ‘Standing Up Straight’

Instead of ‘Straight’ Think ‘Up’

What Happens to Our Spine When We Use Our Phone?

Position: Neutral 15 ° 30° 45 ° 60 ° 90°Force To Cervical Spine: 10-12lbs. 27lbs. 40lbs. 49lbs. 60lbs. Not Measurable

*Hansraj, Kenneth K. "Assessment of stresses in the cervical spine caused by posture and position of the head." Surgical Technology International 25 (2014): 277-27.

Misuse of Body= Pain in Activity

Results from the Repetition of Harmful Habits

Good Use of Body=Ease and Balance in Activity

We Can Learn From Other Cultures

Models of Good Use

Part II: Introducing the Alexander Technique

What is the Alexander Technique?

• A clinically proven tool used to alleviate back pain and discomfort as well as improve posture.

• Focuses on the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems and is based on a fundamental principle that mental & physical health are inseparable

• Principles can be applied to any aspect of body use ranging from performance to rehabilitation to promoting better posture and health

• Non-intrusive and highly effective, leading to awareness of previously unknown habits which interfere with the body’s overall functioning in health

• Facilitated through the guidance of an Alexander Technique teacher demonstrating the body’s misuse

• Offers an individualized approach to develop lifelong skills for self-care that help people recognize and avoid poor habits

History of the Alexander Technique

• The technique was developed in the early 20th century, by an Australian man named Frederick Matthias Alexander (1869-1955).

• He was a Shakespearean actor challenged by recurring voice problems

• After a performance Alexander lost his voice completely and sought the aid of doctors and voice teachers, but to no avail. He decided to discover for himself what was causing the problems he experienced in his voice

• He observed himself with the use of mirrors to find out what he was doing while speaking the text.

• He noticed that he was continually pulling his head back and down each time he came to speak. The result of this contraction set a chain of tensions and misalignment in various places such as the chest, back, and knees.

• These were the principles he used to develop the Alexander Technique

• Over a career span of more than fifty years, he refined his method of instruction. After teaching for over 35 years, he began to train teachers in what has now become known as the Alexander Technique

What F.M. Alexander Would Look Like if He Were Holding a Mobile Phone

My Background with the Alexander Technique

• Discovered the Alexander Technique while at drama school in London in 2001

• Trained and graduated from a three-year Alexander Technique training course at Shaike and Linda Hermelin’s school in Tel-Aviv, Israel in 2009

• My Research: “iPosture: A Closer Look at the Lifestyle Practices of School Children”.

• Currently teach the Alexander Technique in Melbourne, Florida.

Results of StudyData Analyzed Low-Income Group Upper-Middle Class Group

Physical Activity Time p/w 8.87 hours per week 5.93 hours per week

Walked for +30 minutes p/d 55% 28%

Played outside with friends or family frequently

77% 57%

Fast-Food intake 37% 85%

Homecooked meals All participants Most participants

Access to technology 50% didn’t have one or more of three of the devices; 100% had a phone

All participants had access to all devices in their homes

Sedentary Activities 38.93 hours in sedentary activities p/w of which 26.33 hours using electronic devices

39.44 hours in sedentary activities p/w of which 26.97 hours using electronic devices

Posture 33% excellent, 22% good, 22% average, 22% poor

0 excellent, 14% good, 42% average, 43% poor

Body Education: Why Do We Only Think of Our Body When We’re in Pain?

When We are Babies We Are Taught to Revere Our Bodies

What Happens As We Get Older?

The Alexander Technique Introduces Body Awareness

The Alexander Technique Reduces Body Pain

The Alexander Technique Improves Posture

Table Work

Chair Work

Part III: Can It Help Me?

Who Benefits?

People Who Spend the Majority of Their Day Sitting Down

People Who Exercise With an Arched Back and Tight Neck

People Who Lift Weights with Excessive Tension

People Who Use Their Bodies in Ways That Cause Strain

Or Don’t Pay Attention to How They Use Their Bodies in Activity

People Who Aren’t That Physically Active

Teenagers

People Suffering from Aches and Pain

Anxiety and Depression

Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

Dentists

Surgeons

Physicians & Nurses

Nurse Aids and Care Takers

Office Workers

Mechanics

Drivers

Dancers

Musicians & Singers

Actors

Athletes

Business Professionals

Tips for Promoting Good Posture

Observe Small Children

The Squat

Sit on Stools or Surfaces Without Back Support to Increase Strength in Torso

Think of Sitting ‘Up’ as Opposed to ‘Straight’

This is Especially True for Teenagers

Move Around Every 30 Minutes

Spend More Time in the Squat Position

Pay Attention to How You Squat Too!

Bring Food Up to Our Mouth When We Eat and Not the Head Down Towards the Food

Same With the Phone

Use a Pillow to Prop up Devices

Lie Down in Semi-Supine 20 Minutes a day

Final Thoughts

The Alexander Technique has been Integrated into Health Care in Other Countries

• The Alexander Technique is well-known in Europe and even integrated into health care systems in places like the United Kingdom and Israel.

• In the UK, National Health Service (NHS) trusts have started to offer Alexander Technique lessons as part of their outpatient pain clinics.

• In Israel, Clalit Mushlam, a branch of one of Israels largest mandated health service organizations, offers substantial discounts for medical coverage of Alexander Technique lessons.

Additional Research on the Efficacy of the Alexander Technique

• Cacciatore, Timothy, Omar Mian, Amy Peters, and Brian L. Day, “Neuromechanical interference of posture on movement: evidence from Alexander technique teachers rising from a chair” Journal of Neurophysiology 112 no. 3 (2014) 719-729.

• Jones T., Glover, T. “Exploring the psychological processes underlying touch: lessons from the Alexander Technique” Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 21 no. 2 (2014) 140-54.

• Schulte, D. & Walach, H. “F.M. Alexander Technique in the Treatment of Stuttering – A randomized single-case intervention study with ambulatory monitoring. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 75 (2006) 190 – 191.

• Stallibrass,C.,Sissons, P. & Chalmers, C. “Randomized controlled trial of the Alexander Technique for idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. Clinical Rehabilitation 16 no. 7 (2002) 695-708.

References

• Ball, Aniko “Why do so many dentists, hygienists, OHTs and assistants experience chronic back pain?” LinkedIn.com (2017) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-do-so-many-dentists-hygienists-ohts-assistants-experience-ball-1/

• Bernard, Bruce P. “Musculoskeletal Disorders and Workplace Factors” Center for Disease Control and Prevention (1997): 1-590

• Hansraj, Kenneth K. "Assessment of stresses in the cervical spine caused by posture and position of the head." Surgical Technology International 25 (2014): 277-279.

• Hayes, MJ., Cockrell, D., Smith, DR., “A systemic review of musculoskeletal disorders among dental professionals” International Journal of Dental Hygiene 7 no. 3 (2009) 159-165

• Hyun Kim, Jonathon Dropkin, Kenneth Spaeth, Francine Smith, Jacqueline Moline “Patient handling and musculoskeletal disorders among hospital workers: analysis of 7 years of institutional worker’s compensation claims data” American Journal of Industrial Medicine 55 no. 8 (2012) 683-690.

• Kelly, Christina. “Lights Out, Phones On: Many Teens Text All Night Long.” Nbcnews.com (2010) http://www.nbcnews.com/id/39917869/#.UlwvX2TuUw8.

• Lenhart, A., Rich Ling, Scott Campbell & Kristen Purcell. “Chapter Three: Attitudes towards Cell Phones.” Pewinternet.org (2010) http://www.pewinternet.org/2010/04/20/chapter-three-attitudes-towards-cell-phones/

• Little, Paul, George Lewith, Fran Webley, Maggie Evans, Angela Beattie, Karen Middleton, Jane Barnett et al. "Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain." Bmj 337 (2008): a884.

• Lloyd, Ray, et al. “A Pilot Investigation of load-carrying on the Head and Bone Mineral Density in Premenopausal, Black African Women. Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism 28, no. 2 (2010): 185-190. McWhorter, J. Wesley, Harvey W. Wallmann, and Patricia T. Alpert. "The obese child: Motivation as a tool for exercise." Journal of Pediatric Health Care17, no. 1 (2003): 11-17.

• Nair, S., Sagar, M., Sollers, J. III, Consedine, N., & Broadbent, E. “Do slumped and upright postures affect stress responses? A randomized trial.” Health Psychology, 34 no. 6 (2015) 632-641.

• Ngan, K., Drebit, S., Siow, S., Yu, S. Keen, D., Alamgir, H. ”Risks and causes of musculoskeletal injuries among health care workers” Occupational Medicine 60 no. 5 (2010) 389-394

• Peper, Erik, I-Mei Lin, Richard Harvey, and Jacob Perez. "How Posture Affects Memory Recall and Mood." Biofeedback 45, no. 2 (2017); 36-41.

• Porter, G., Kate Hampshire, Christine Dunn, Richard Hall, Martin Levesley, Kim Burton, Steve Robson et al. “Health impacts of pedestrian head-loading: A review of the evidence with particular reference to women and children in sub-Saharan Africa.” Social Science & Medicine 88 (2013): 90-97.

Tami Bulmash, M.A.AmSAT Certified Alexander Technique Teacher

www.bodyandposture.com(813) 534-9219

The Complete Guide to the Alexander Techniquewww.alexandertechnique.com

The American Society for the Alexander Techniquewww.amsatonline.org

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