Department of Psychology & Communication, University of Idaho, USA.
Lionel Hampton School of Music, University of Idaho, USA.
Complement Ther Med. 2018 Aug;39:80-86. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.05.012. Epub 2018 May 23.
To determine feasibility and potential of Alexander technique (AT) group classes for chronic neck pain and to assess changes in self-efficacy, posture, and neck muscle activity as potential mechanisms for pain reduction.
A single-group, multiple-baseline design, with two pre-tests to control for regression toward the mean, a post-test immediately after the intervention, and another post-test five weeks later to examine retention of benefits. Participants were predominately middle-aged; all had experienced neck pain for at least six months.
Participants attended ten one-hour group classes in AT, an embodied mindful approach that may reduce habitual overactivation of muscles, including superficial neck muscles, over five weeks.
(1) self-reports: Northwick Park Questionnaire (to assess neck pain and associated disability) and Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire; (2) superficial neck flexor activation and fatigue (assessed by electromyography and power spectral analysis) during the cranio-cervical flexion test; (3) posture during a video game task.
There were no significant changes in outcomes between pre-tests. All participants completed the intervention. After the intervention: (1) participants reported significantly reduced neck pain; (2) fatigue of the superficial neck flexors during the cranio-cervical flexion test was substantially lower; (3) posture was marginally more upright, as compared to the second pre-intervention values. Changes in pain, self-efficacy, and neck muscle fatigue were retained at the second post-test and tended to be correlated with one another.
Group AT classes may provide a cost-effective approach to reducing neck pain by teaching participants to decrease excessive habitual muscle contraction during everyday activity.
确定亚历山大技术（AT）团体课程治疗慢性颈痛的可行性和潜力，并评估自我效能感、姿势和颈部肌肉活动的变化，这些可能是减轻疼痛的潜在机制。
一项单组、多基线设计，有两次预测试以控制向平均值回归，一次在干预后即刻进行的后测试，以及另一次在五周后进行的后测试，以检查益处的保留情况。参与者主要为中年人群；所有人的颈部疼痛均至少持续了六个月。
参与者参加了十次时长为一小时的 AT 团体课程，这是一种基于身体的正念方法，可能会减少肌肉习惯性过度激活，包括浅层颈部肌肉，为期五周。
在预测试之间，结果没有显著变化。所有参与者都完成了干预。干预后：（1）参与者报告颈部疼痛明显减轻；（2）在颅颈屈曲试验中，浅层颈部屈肌的疲劳程度明显降低；（3）与第二次预干预值相比，姿势稍微更加直立。疼痛、自我效能感和颈部肌肉疲劳的变化在第二次后测试时仍然存在，并且倾向于相互关联。
团体 AT 课程可能通过教导参与者在日常活动中减少过度习惯性肌肉收缩，为减轻颈痛提供一种具有成本效益的方法。
