For kii and anyone else suffering from back pain or other body pain issues.

Since my late teens I have had acute back pian problems, which were helped not at all by an operation in my early 20’s.

For the last 20 years or so I have gone to weekly 1 hour long Feldenkrais sessions, which are basically stretching exercises with a focus on what all your muscles are doing as you stretch.

When going to the regular classes I have no back pain at all. When there is a break, I start to have back twinges after a couple of weeks or so, sometimes becoming more significant.

In short, it works, at least for me.

The wikipedia article is highly sceptical, painting it as complete woo, with no evidence it does any good. All I can say is, that isn’t my experience. It works for me and the woman who runs the classes I attend is woo-free.

TATE on The Feldenkrais Method

A less negative report:

The Effectiveness of the Feldenkrais Method: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

Abstract
The Feldenkrais Method (FM) has broad application in populations interested in improving awareness, health, and ease of function. This review aimed to update the evidence for the benefits of FM, and for which populations. A best practice systematic review protocol was devised. Included studies were appraised using the Cochrane risk of bias approach and trial findings analysed individually and collectively where possible. Twenty RCTs were included (an additional 14 to an earlier systematic review). The population, outcome, and findings were highly heterogeneous. However, meta-analyses were able to be performed with 7 studies, finding in favour of the FM for improving balance in ageing populations (e.g., timed up and go test MD −1.14 sec, 95% CI −1.78, −0.49; and functional reach test MD 6.08 cm, 95% CI 3.41, 8.74). Single studies reported significant positive effects for reduced perceived effort and increased comfort, body image perception, and dexterity. Risk of bias was high, thus tempering some results. Considered as a body of evidence, effects seem to be generic, supporting the proposal that FM works on a learning paradigm rather than disease-based mechanisms. Further research is required; however, in the meantime, clinicians and professionals may promote the use of FM in populations interested in efficient physical performance and self-efficacy.

The Rev Dodgson said:

For kii and anyone else suffering from back pain or other body pain issues.

Since my late teens I have had acute back pian problems, which were helped not at all by an operation in my early 20’s.

For the last 20 years or so I have gone to weekly 1 hour long Feldenkrais sessions, which are basically stretching exercises with a focus on what all your muscles are doing as you stretch.

When going to the regular classes I have no back pain at all. When there is a break, I start to have back twinges after a couple of weeks or so, sometimes becoming more significant.

In short, it works, at least for me.

The wikipedia article is highly sceptical, painting it as complete woo, with no evidence it does any good. All I can say is, that isn’t my experience. It works for me and the woman who runs the classes I attend is woo-free.

TATE on The Feldenkrais Method

Thanks. Mother did Feldenkrais after a car accident. IIRC she crushed her tailbone. We both have the same extra vertebra and one partially fuse one. Or something.
I’ll refresh my memory tomorrow.

I’ve had enough. I’ve cleaned the mantelpiece and the kitchen trolley thingy and I’ve done about 2/3 of the pantry. I need to change the sheets on the bed, so I think the other part of the pantry can wait for another day.

Lunch report: Found a couple of tins of asparagus that are Quite Old. So I’ve opened one and I’m going to have them in a white bread sammich. So very 1960s.

buffy said:

I’ve had enough. I’ve cleaned the mantelpiece and the kitchen trolley thingy and I’ve done about 2/3 of the pantry. I need to change the sheets on the bed, so I think the other part of the pantry can wait for another day.

Lunch report: Found a couple of tins of asparagus that are Quite Old. So I’ve opened one and I’m going to have them in a white bread sammich. So very 1960s.

oops, sorry…

So exercise keeps muscles strong and not tightened, and interrupting regularity of exercise yields less strengthening and more opportunity to tighten up,

damn,

controversial¡

SCIENCE said:

So exercise keeps muscles strong and not tightened, and interrupting regularity of exercise yields less strengthening and more opportunity to tighten up,

damn,

controversial¡

Damn you man, its hard to patent and profit from it

I notice that Wikipedia comes down hard on alternative therapies which they say “reside outside of mainstream medicine and do not originate from using the scientific method, but instead rely on testimonials, anecdotes, religion, tradition, superstition, belief in supernatural “energies”, pseudoscience, errors in reasoning, propaganda, fraud, or other unscientific sources. Frequently used terms for relevant practices are New Age medicine, pseudo-medicine, unorthodox medicine, holistic medicine, fringe medicine, and unconventional medicine, with little distinction from quackery.”

Leads me to be sceptical

Ian said:

I notice that Wikipedia comes down hard on alternative therapies which they say “reside outside of mainstream medicine and do not originate from using the scientific method, but instead rely on testimonials, anecdotes, religion, tradition, superstition, belief in supernatural “energies”, pseudoscience, errors in reasoning, propaganda, fraud, or other unscientific sources. Frequently used terms for relevant practices are New Age medicine, pseudo-medicine, unorthodox medicine, holistic medicine, fringe medicine, and unconventional medicine, with little distinction from quackery.”

Leads me to be sceptical

About Feldenkrais or the Wikipedia article?

The trouble with the Wikipedia piece is that it lumps together everything from methods that basically make sense and work, through to complete woo and outright fraud.

Feldenkrais is “alternative” in the sense that it is outside the conventional medical system, but it is based on doing stretching exercises, and paying attention to what the rest of your body is doing. And it works.

It costs me $15/week, which is about the best value I get for my $$ anywhere.

So, not a lot differnt fronm Yoga?

roughbarked said:

So, not a lot differnt fronm Yoga?

It does indeed seem to have a fair bit in common with Yoga, not that I know anything about Yoga.

The main differences are that it doesn’t have an ancient tradition, and it focusses on the body, rather than “spiritual” aspects.

The Rev Dodgson said:

roughbarked said:

So, not a lot differnt fronm Yoga?

It does indeed seem to have a fair bit in common with Yoga, not that I know anything about Yoga.

The main differences are that it doesn’t have an ancient tradition, and it focusses on the body, rather than “spiritual” aspects.

Hatha Yoga, is one of the aspects of yoga. It is all about health and the whole of your being.

roughbarked said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

roughbarked said:

So, not a lot differnt fronm Yoga?

It does indeed seem to have a fair bit in common with Yoga, not that I know anything about Yoga.

The main differences are that it doesn’t have an ancient tradition, and it focusses on the body, rather than “spiritual” aspects.

Hatha Yoga, is one of the aspects of yoga. It is all about health and the whole of your being.

So they’re all just exercises, but the team sports culture revolves around naming them.