Altered coordination strategies during upright stance and gait in teachers of the Alexander Technique

Abstract

Deterioration in movement and posture often occurs with aging. Yet there may be approaches to movement training that can maintain posture and movement coordination patterns as we age. The Alexander Technique is a non-exercise-based approach that aims to improve everyday movement and posture by increasing awareness and modulating whole-body postural muscle activity. This study assessed whether nineteen 55–72-year-old Alexander Technique teachers showed different posture and movement coordination patterns than twenty age-matched controls during a standing and walking protocol using 3D inertial sensors. During upright stance, Alexander Technique teachers showed lower centroidal sway frequency at the ankle (p =.04) and lower normalized jerk at the sternum (p =.05) than controls. During gait, Alexander Technique teachers had more symmetrical gait cycles (p =.04), more symmetrical arm swing velocity (p =.01), greater arm swing velocity (p