Sept17

LIVING THE
ALEXANDER
WAY OF LIFE
by Liz Jeffries
Do you remember the song ….‘The
foot bone connected to the ankle
bone, ankle bone connected to the
leg bone, leg bone connected to the
knee bone’ ….and so on?
It might serve as a simple anatomy
lesson, but it does get a bit tedious
after a while! However, I was
moved to remember this recently
when I had a spot of bone trouble
myself, well, actually back trouble.
‘Back trouble’ is how I got
introduced to the Alexander
Technique in the first place and
since qualifying as an AT teacher
in the nineties I have always felt
uncomfortable about admitting
to having any subsequent back
or neck pain because I thought
fellow sufferers would assume
that if I couldn’t sort myself out, I
couldn’t possibly help anyone else.
I am relieved to say this is not the
case! However, understanding a
little of how we are put together
and how we work is a great asset
in overcoming painful conditions
and it helps enormously with
other constraints, such as a fear of
falling, which I have discovered is a
problem for many, including me, as I
have a brittle bone condition.
“Dem Bones”
Here’s an example. If I asked you
to point to your hip bones, where
would your fingers go? Usually
people point to the crescent shaped
bone, which is the Ilium joint.
However, your hip joint is actually
further down. Stand on one leg (if
you have balance issues best do this
standing sideways on to a wall with
a hand on the wall to support you).
Then swing the free leg backwards
and forwards. Where it swings
from is where the hip joint is. Once
you know that, and how the body
works as a whole, you can begin
to move in a way that is balanced,
co-ordinated and pain relieving
because you are moving with the
design of the body rather than
going against it. This is one of the
elements I bring to solving my own
back pain and that of others. I look
at how I’ve been using myself; what
have I done recently (and how have
I done it) that might have stirred
it up again and, most importantly,
how can I change that in the
future? Once I know that, it gives
me the choice of doing something
differently. I don’t need to become
trapped into behaving in the same
way again. That is how I can break
the pain cycle.
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I can go for months without back
pain, but every now and again it
flares up. (Once a weak spot always
a weak spot). This particular time
I think the cause was our recent
annual garden party. It’s a rather
large affair and requires a lot of
organisation, shifting furniture,
getting rooms ready for those
staying over and I was probably
trying to do too much in a short
space of time. With my experience
I should know better, but it shows
I am human. Now all is well, as I
have been mindful about how I’ve
been carrying out my activities.
Note to self on changing for next
year’s party prep ….think it through
more thoroughly and earlier!!
The Alexander Technique is a life
changing skill which can relieve
tension and painful muscular/
skeletal conditions. Please see
www.alexandertechniquehastings.
co.uk for info on individual and
group sessions or mail@lizjeffries.
co.uk 01424 465838/07929 725156
The first three people to contact
me quoting Golden Times can
come along for a free one hour
place on one of my group sessions
Mum was
having fun...
...which meant we could
really relax
Take a break so that you can carry on caring.
Short stay residential packages are available
at our comfortable care homes – let us do the
caring while you recharge your batteries.
Call us for more information.
HELPING PEOPLE
LIVE
THEIR LATER LIVES
TO THE
FULL
A local not-for-profit
organisation
Ardath Residential Care Home Hastings Road, Bexhill, East Sussex Tel: 01424 210538
Saxonwood Residential Care Home Saxonwood Road, Battle, East Sussex Tel: 01424 774336
Email: office@sussexhousing.org.uk www.sussexhousing.org.uk
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