Klein, Sabine; Bayard, Claudine; Wolf, Ursula (April 2013). The Effectiveness of Alexander Technique on Music Performance and Musicians' Health and Well-being – a Systematic Review. In: 8th International Congress on Complementary Medicine Research. London. 11.-13.04.2013.
Purpose
Musicians often suffer injuries related to their music playing. Therefore, some use the Alexander Technique (AT), a psycho-physical method that helps to release unnecessary muscle tension and re-educates non-beneficial movement patterns through enhanced kinaesthetic awareness. According to a recent review AT may be effective for chronic back pain. This review aimed to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of AT lessons on music performance and musicians’ health and well-being.
Methods
The following electronic databases were searched up to July 2012 for relevant literature: PUBMED, Google Scholar, CINAHL and EMBASE. The search criteria were "Alexander technique" AND "music*" [all fields]. References were searched, and experts and societies of AT or musicians' medicine contacted for further publications.
Results
100 studies were identified. 35 studies were included for further analysis, 5 of which were randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 5 controlled but not randomised, 5 not controlled, 5 qualitative case studies, 2 mixed-models (RCT and case studies), 7 surveys, 4 qualitative case reports and 2 unpublished pilot studies.
13 to 72 musicians participated per RCT. In 5 RCTs AT groups received between 12 and 20 one-to-one lessons. In 4 RCTs control groups received no interventions. Primary outcomes were performance anxiety, performance, "use" as well as respiratory function and pain.
Performance anxiety decreased by AT in 3 of 4 RCTs. Music performance was improved by AT in 1 RCT, yet in 2 RCTs comparing neurofeedback (NF) to AT, only NF showed improvements.
Conclusions
To investigate the effectiveness of AT in musicians a variety of study designs and outcome measures have been used. Evidence from RCTs suggests that AT may improve performance anxiety in musicians. Effects on music performance, body use and respiratory function yet remain inconsistent. Future trials with well-established study designs are warranted to further and more reliably explore the potential of AT as a relatively low cost and low risk method in the interest of musicians.
Item Type: |
Conference or Workshop Item (Poster) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
04 Faculty of Medicine > Medical Education > Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (IKIM) |
UniBE Contributor: |
Klein, Sabine, Wolf, Ursula |
Subjects: |
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Sabine Klein |
Date Deposited: |
13 May 2014 10:37 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 14:34 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/52214 |
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