The effectiveness of Alexander Technique on music performance and musicians’ health and well-being – a systematic review

Introduction Musicians often suffer injuries related to their music playing. Therefore, some use Alexander Technique (AT), a mental-physical method that facilitates to release unnecessary muscle tension and to re-educate non-beneficial movement patterns through enhanced kinaesthetic awareness. According to a recent review AT may be effective for chronic back pain [1]. 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. 24 studies were included for further analysis, 5 of which were randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 5 controlled but not randomised (CTs), 5 without control group, 2 mixed methods (RCT and case studies), and 7 surveys. 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, music performance, "use" as well as respiratory function and pain. Performance anxiety decreased by AT in 3 of 4 RCTs and in 3 of 3 CTs. Music performance was improved by AT in 1 RCT, yet in 2 RCTs comparing neurofeedback (NF) to AT, only NF showed improvements. Discussion and Conclusion 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 scientifically sound 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. References [1] Woodman JP, Moore NR. Evidence for the effectiveness of Alexander Technique lessons in medical and health-related conditions: a systematic review. Int J Clin Pract 2012;66(1):98-112.

The Effectiveness of Alexander Technique on Music Performance and Musicians' Health and Well-being – a Systematic Review

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.

Geschichte der Israeliten : mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Culturgeschichte derselben ; von Alexander dem Großen bis auf die neuere Zeit

nach den besten vorhandenen Quellen bearb. von Julius Heinrich Dessauer

Die Judenfrage gegenüber dem deutschen Handel und Gewerbe : ein Manifest an die deutsche Nation

von Egon Waldegg [d.i. Alexander Pinkert]

Michael Salomon Alexander der erste evangelische Bischof in Jerusalem : ein Beitrag zur orientalischen Frage

von J. F. A. de Le Roi

The Alexander Technique and musicians: a systematic review of controlled trials

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders, stress and performance anxiety are common in musicians. 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 intentional inhibition of unwanted habitual behaviours. According to a recent review AT sessions may be effective for chronic back pain. This review aimed to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of AT sessions on musicians' performance, anxiety, respiratory function and posture. METHODS: The following electronic databases were searched up to February 2014 for relevant publications: PUBMED, Google Scholar, CINAHL, EMBASE, AMED, PsycINFO and RILM. The search criteria were "Alexander Technique" AND "music*". References were searched, and experts and societies of AT or musicians' medicine contacted for further publications. RESULTS: 237 citations were assessed. 12 studies were included for further analysis, 5 of which were randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 5 controlled but not randomised (CTs), and 2 mixed methods studies. Main outcome measures in RCTs and CTs were music performance, respiratory function, performance anxiety, body use and posture. Music performance was judged by external experts and found to be improved by AT in 1 of 3 RCTs; in 1 RCT comparing neurofeedback (NF) to AT, only NF caused improvements. Respiratory function was investigated in 2 RCTs, but not improved by AT training. Performance anxiety was mostly assessed by questionnaires and decreased by AT in 2 of 2 RCTs and in 2 of 2 CTs. CONCLUSIONS: A variety of outcome measures have been used to investigate the effectiveness of AT sessions in musicians. Evidence from RCTs and CTs suggests that AT sessions may improve performance anxiety in musicians. Effects on music performance, respiratory function and posture yet remain inconclusive. Future trials with well-established study designs are warranted to further and more reliably explore the potential of AT in the interest of musicians.

Das Judenthum und die Religion der Humanität : Vortrag zum 33. Stiftungsfest d. freireligiösen Gemeinde in Mannheim an 17. Aug. 1879

von Carl Scholl

Long-term outcome of patients with spinal myxopapillary ependymoma: treatment results from the MD Anderson Cancer Center and institutions from the Rare Cancer Network.

BACKGROUND Spinal myxopapillary ependymomas (MPEs) are slowly growing ependymal gliomas with preferential manifestation in young adults. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of patients with MPE treated with surgery, radiotherapy (RT), and/or chemotherapy. METHODS The medical records of 183 MPE patients (male: 59%) treated at the MD Anderson Cancer Center and 11 institutions from the Rare Cancer Network were retrospectively reviewed. Mean patient' age at diagnosis was 35.5 ± 15.8 years. Ninety-seven (53.0%) patients underwent surgery without RT, and 86 (47.0%) were treated with surgery and/or RT. Median RT dose was 50.4 Gy. Median follow-up was 83.9 months. RESULTS Fifteen (8.2%) patients died, 7 of unrelated cause. The estimated 10-year overall survival was 92.4% (95% CI: 87.7-97.1). Treatment failure was observed in 58 (31.7%) patients. Local failure, distant spinal relapse, and brain failure were observed in 49 (26.8%), 17 (9.3%), and 11 (6.0%) patients, respectively. The estimated 10-year progression-free survival was 61.2% (95% CI: 52.8-69.6). Age (<36 vs ≥36 y), treatment modality (surgery alone vs surgery and RT), and extent of surgery were prognostic factors for local control and progression-free survival on univariate and multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS In this series, treatment failure of MPE occurred in approximately one third of patients. The observed recurrence pattern of primary spinal MPE was mainly local, but a substantial number of patients failed nonlocally. Younger patients and those not treated initially with adjuvant RT or not undergoing gross total resection were significantly more likely to present with tumor recurrence/progression.

Die Jüdische Gemeinde Bonn : Festschrift zur Einweihung ihrer neuen Synagoge am 31. Januar 1879

von Emanuel Schreiber