Service Evaluation of Alexander Technique

The AT Team trial conducted by the University of Southampton and the Centre for Academic Primary Care at the University of Bristol (Little et al, BMJ, 2008) found that Alexander Technique (AT) lessons were both clinically and cost effective for primary care patients with low back pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate an Alexander Technique service delivered in a secondary care pain clinic and potential differences in terms of use of NHS services and experiences of pain. Forty-three patients with chronic pain attended Alexander Technique lessons, once weekly over six weeks. All service users completed questionnaires including MYMOP, Brief Pain Inventory, EQ-5D and the Client Service Resource Inventory at baseline, six weeks and 12 weeks plus. Twenty-seven service users were also interviewed, along with the Alexander Technique teachers and pain clinic staff, including administrators and consultations. We found that the AT teaching service was feasible, acceptable, and beneficial (in terms of improving quality of life and management of pain). Greatest changes were found in how service users managed their pain, for example more than half stopped or reduced their medication and the impact that the pain had on their daily life. This also led to some behaviour change and changes in awareness and self-knowledge from the service users. These attitudinal and behavioural changes may explain the finding that users of the AT teaching service appeared to reduce their pain related NHS costs by half. For further information please see the full project report (PDF, 1,269kB)

 

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