Physiotherapists are definately not in a position either professionally or from their knowledge base to teach the Alexander Technique. It is a real and distinct skill to be an Alexander teacher, the quality of hand contact is highly
specialised and takes years of training.
Helen Mulvaney, Bath

Hellie , Bath, Somerset

Just so you know......Physiotherapists in the NHS are NOT trained to teach the Alexander Technique unless they have also undergone the three-year, full-time training it takes to qualify as an Alexander teacher. See www.stat.org.uk for more info about real AT teachers.

Joe Searby, Oxford,

Forget the pain, would it help my sex life ?

ian payne, WALSALL,

Just so you know - the technique is actually practiced by many physiotherapists in the NHS. Just ask your clinician and I'm sure that they will gladly advise you. If not the exact principal then one very close that the practitioner has adapted to suit his patients.

NTS, Manchester, England

PAAT (Professional Association of Alexander Teachers) has a really good website: www.paat.org.uk

Matthew Weller, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Besides STAT, there is also an organization in England called ITM, the Interactive Teaching Method for the Alexander Technique. Their teachers are outstanding and have completed a very rigorous training. Check out www.alexandertechnique-itm.org

Alice, Toronto, Canada

Another great resource is www.alexandertechnique-itm.org. These teachers are fantastic!

Alex Bollag, Toronto, Canada

I've just had a course of Alexander Technique sessions (actually as a result of another article in the Times), which I found very helpful. It's not mumbo-jumbo but simple biomechanics. I'd recommend it to anyone.

K John, London, UK

I suspect that if you get rid of the mumbo-jumbo surrounding the Alexander technique, there are some basic and very sensible ideas about posture that can be very helpful.

Alan Henness, Glasgow,

Alexander Technique is slowly gaining the credibility it deserves. With practitioners finally getting a recognised regulator, The General Regulatory Council for Complementary Therapies (GRCCT), we will see much more research and a much stronger argument for the use of these therapies on the NHS.

Peter Carter, London, UK

I am glad to read that scientists are taking it seriously. The Alexander technique is more than just a mind-body process. I found that it centred on using your skeleton properly, correcting bad posture and freeing up the ribcage. This directly helps your breathing, strength and muscle alignment.

Andrew Richardson, London, London

I had a wonderful experience with my Alexander Technique classes. My husband suggested it - it had helped his low-back pain - and thought it might help with my neck and shoulder pain.

They have a wonderful website at http://alexandertechnique.com which does a good job of answering common questions

Sue Benson, Paris, France