Alexander Flavoured Rehabilitation โ II โข ใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผ้ขจใชใใใชใใผใทใงใณ โ II
Jun 14, 2025
ใไปฅไธๆฅๆฌ่ชใ
Previously, I promised to detail how I am using an alternative approach to the rehabilitation of my traumatised glennohumeral joint (shoulder joint) after a fall while running.
First off, there’s a critical time issue—hence the speed at which conventional therapy insists on treating new injuries. This is related to the neuroplasticity of our brains. Trauma triggers a cascade of neural responses—linked to inflammation, pain, and limb use—that can, over time, cause lasting changes in the brain’s sensory and motor maps, contributing to chronic pain.
Addressing your injury immediately is by far the best course of action.
The premise of my approach is that you have a clean-clear understanding of the function of your postural movements. You understand that postural movements are designed to optimise your other movements – such as picking up a cup of coffee from the table. In this case, I do not need to understand how my arm is responding to the injury - I need only know how my arm would behave to pick up the coffee if I had no injury. I seek to restore that.
Of course, as I seek to restore my arm to normal use, I discover how it is behaving.
I am observing signs of arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) in my rotator cuff muscles, resulting in a loss of postural tone and apparent depression of the shoulder girdle—evidenced by my arm hanging lower when I stand. In response, larger muscles begin to compensate for the stabilising function normally provided by my inhibited rotator cuff muscles. In my case, this alteration helps to generate a continuous nociceptor-inspired aching in the region, which no amount of massage or movement can ease. My compensation becomes particularly evident during actions like extending my arm to pick up a cup of coffee. An action like this would calls for fine stabilisation of the glenohumeral joint, but the intense increase in pain I experience triggers a reflexive inhibition of the muscles designed to do this, disrupting my normal coordination.
When feeling this pain, a person unskilled in postural optimisation might add to the mess by saying things to themselves like: “I must relax my shoulder” or “I will let my shoulder drop”. While these kinds of messages are quite common in everyday life, they could prove fatal to the successful rehabilitation of an upper arm joint trauma.
In conventional therapy, the solution is to force the arm to behave correctly by devising exercises that can not be done without firing off the muscles that are being inhibited due to the pain. This is why my Physio at the hospital told me: “Pain up to 6 out of 10 is OK”. This all makes sense when the person has no knowledge of how their arm is designed to behave normally and most people don’t – why do we need to know that?
We don’t, unless things go wrong. Research shows that other mammals have the same inability to regulate postural movements and can, like us, suffer from persistent gait and related brain maladaptations which in turn generate consequential pains and problems over the longer term.
So what do I do?
I don’t do exercises – I do life.
Which means, as in therapy, I continue to ask my arm to perform as though there is no injury. In this approach, I don’t need to know how my arm is going out of its norm; I only need to know how to continue being posturally integrated. My focus is on postural optimisation while performing an action, whether I can complete it or not. In one sense, this is no different from an “exercise” that seeks to do the same thing. The difference is I don’t need any special equipment or time, I just guide my Self in a posturally accurate way while doing the everyday things of life.
Which, when you think about it, is the aim of Alexander Technique lessons!
Postural optimisation has been improving itself for over 500 million years. That’s a long period of research and development - trusting this optimisation process means leaning into evolution itself. I feel safe doing that.
However, there remains a huge problem – pain.
As I wrote at the start of this series, dealing with your pain is a crucial task of a successful rehabilitative process. Pain creates sensory dullness. You find it hard to know what is going on. However, postural optimisation calls for highly accurate and informed movement guidance. Pain obscures your ability to do this.
Pain is actually a function of the brain, not of damaged tissues. Pain – or dull sensory feedback – can easily trick you into making movements that are counterproductive to rehabilitation.
Eventually, left to itself unabated, pain transforms into your primary problem.
How do I avoid that happening?
Well, I have secret sauce!
Stay tuned.
NEXT: Alexander Flavoured Rehabilitation - Part III
*** JAPANESE ***
ใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผ้ขจใชใใใชใใผใทใงใณ – ใใผใ2
ไปฅๅใ็งใฏ่ปขๅใซใใฃใฆๆๅทใใ่ฉ็ฒไธ่ ้ข็ฏ๏ผ่ฉ้ข็ฏ๏ผใฎใชใใใชใซใคใใฆใ้ๅธธใจใฏ็ฐใชใใขใใญใผใใใฉใฎใใใซไฝฟใฃใฆใใใใ่ฉณใใใไผใใใใจ็ดๆใใพใใใ
ใพใๆๅใซ้่ฆใชใฎใฏใๆ้ใใงใใใ ใใใใใ้ๅธธใฎ็ๅญฆ็ๆณใงใฏใฑใฌใฎ็ดๅพใซ็ด ๆฉใๅฆ็ฝฎใใใใจใๆฑใใใใพใใใใใฏ็งใใกใฎ่ณใฎ็ฅ็ตๅฏๅกๆง๏ผใใฅใผใญใใฉในใใฃใทใใฃ๏ผใซ้ขไฟใใฆใใพใใๅคๅทใ่ตทใใใจใ็็ใ็ใฟใๆฃ้จใฎไฝฟ็จใซ้ข้ฃใใ็ฅ็ตๅๅฟใฎ้ฃ้ใๅผใ่ตทใใใใพใใๆ้ใฎ็ต้ใจใจใใซใใใใ่ณใฎๆ่ฆๅฐๅณใ้ๅๅฐๅณใซๆ็ถ็ใชๅคๅใไธใใๆ ขๆง็ใช็ใฟใฎไธๅ ใซใชใใใจใใใใพใใ
ใ ใใใใใใงใใใ ใๆฉใใฑใฌใซๅฏพๅฟใใใใจใๆๅใฎ้ธๆใงใใ
็งใฎใขใใญใผใใฎๅๆใฏใใๅงฟๅข้ๅใฎๆฉ่ฝใซใคใใฆๆ็ขบใซ็่งฃใใฆใใใใจใใงใใๅงฟๅข้ๅใฏใใใจใใฐใณใผใใผใซใใใใใผใใซใใๅใใจใใฃใไปใฎๅไฝใๆ้ฉๅใใใใใซ่จญ่จใใใฆใใพใใใใฎๅ ดๅใ็งใ็ฅใในใใชใฎใฏใใฑใฌใใใ่ ใไปใฉใใชใฃใฆใใใใงใฏใชใใใใฑใฌใใใฆใใชใใฃใใ่ ใใฉใๅใใใใงใใใใฎๅใใๅๅพฉใใใใใจใ็งใฎ็ฎๆจใงใใ
ใใกใใใ่ ใ้ๅธธใฎไฝฟใๆนใซๆปใใใจใใไธญใงใไปใฎ่ ใฎ็ถๆ ใ่ฆใใฆใใพใใ
็พๅจใ็งใฏใญใผใใผใฟใผใซใ็ญ็พคใซ้ข็ฏๅๆง็ญๆๅถ๏ผAMI๏ผใฎๅ ๅใ่ฆณๅฏใใฆใใพใใใใใซใใๅงฟๅขใใผใณใๅคฑใใใ่ฉ็ฒๅธฏใไธใใฃใฆ่ฆใใ โ ใคใพใใ็ซใฃใฆใใใจ่ ใ้ๅธธใใไฝใๅใไธใใฃใฆใใใฎใงใใใใฎ็ตๆใๆๅถใใใ็ญ่ใฎไปฃใใใซใใใๅคงใใช็ญ่ใๅฎๅฎๅใฎๅฝนๅฒใไปฃ่กใๅงใใพใใใใฎไปฃๅ้ๅใใๆ็ถ็ใช้ใ็ใฟใๅผใ่ตทใใใฆใใใใใใตใผใธใงใ้ๅใงใใชใใชใๅใใใพใใใใใฎไปฃๅใฏใ่ ใไผธใฐใใฆใณใผใใผใซใใใๅใใใใชๅไฝใง็นใซๆ็ขบใซ็พใใพใใๆฌๆฅใงใใใฐใใใฎๅไฝใซใฏ่ฉ้ข็ฏใฎ็ฒพๅฏใชๅฎๅฎๅใๆฑใใใใพใใใ็ใฟใๅขใใใจใงใใฎๅฎๅฎๅใซ้ขใใ็ญ่ใๅๅฐ็ใซๆๅถใใใๅ่ชฟ้ๅใไนฑใใฆใใพใใฎใงใใ
ใใใใ็ใฟใๆใใใจใใๅงฟๅขใฎๆ้ฉๅใซๆ ฃใใฆใใชใไบบใฏใใ่ฉใฎๅใๆใใใใจใใ่ฉใ่ฝใจใใใใจใใฃใใปใซใใใผใฏใใใฆใใพใใใกใงใใใใใใฏๆฅๅธธ็ใซ่ฆใใใ่ใๆนใงใใใไธ่ ใฎๅคๅทใชใใใชใซใใใฆใฏ่ดๅฝ็ใชๅฆจใใจใชใๅพใพใใ
ไธ่ฌ็ใช็ๅญฆ็ๆณใงใฏใ็ใฟใงๆๅถใใใฆใใ็ญ่ใใใใฆๅๅกใใใใใใชใจใฏใตใตใคใบใ่จญ่จใใใใจใงใ่ ใๆญฃใใๅไฝใซๆปใใใจใ็ฎๆใใพใใใ ใใใใใ็ ้ขใฎใใฃใธใชใ็งใซใใ่จใฃใใฎใงใ๏ผใ10ๆฎต้ไธญ6ใพใงใฎ็ใฟใชใOKใงใใใใใใฏใ่ ใ้ๅธธใฉใๅใในใใใ็ฅใใชใไบบใซใจใฃใฆใฏ็ใซใใชใฃใใขใใญใผใใงใใใใใฆใใปใจใใฉใฎไบบใฏใใใ็ฅใใพใใ โ ็ฅใๅฟ ่ฆใใชใใฎใงใใ
ใใ ใใไฝใใใใพใใใใชใใชใฃใใจใใฏๅฅใงใใ็ ็ฉถใซใใใฐใไปใฎๅบไนณ้กใๅๆงใซๅงฟๅข้ๅใ่ชๅใง่ชฟๆดใใใใจใใงใใใๆใ ใจๅๆงใซใๆ ขๆง็ใชๆญฉ่กใใฟใผใณใฎไนฑใใใใใใซไผดใ่ณใฎไธ้ฉๅฟใซใใ็ใฟใ้ๅฎณใซ้ทๆ็ใซ่ฆใใใใจใใใใพใใ
ใงใฏใ็งใฏใฉใใใฆใใใฎใงใใใ๏ผ
็งใฏใใจใฏใตใตใคใบใใฏใใพใใใ
็งใฏใ็ๆดปใใใใพใใ
ใคใพใใ็ๅญฆ็ๆณใจๅใใใ็งใฏใใฑใฌใใใฆใใชใใใฎใใใซใ่ ใไฝฟใ็ถใใใฎใงใใใใฎใขใใญใผใใงใฏใใใฉใไนฑใใฆใใใใใงใฏใชใใใใฉใใใใฐๅงฟๅข็ใซ็ตฑๅใใใใพใพใงใใใใใใใซๆ่ญใๅใใพใใๅไฝใๅฎ่กใงใใใใฉใใใซ้ขใใใใใใฎๅไฝใฎไธญใงๅงฟๅขใฎๆ้ฉๅใ่ฟฝๆฑใใใฎใงใใใใๆๅณใงใฏใใใใฏใใจใฏใตใตใคใบใใจๅใใใจใ็ฎๆใใฆใใพใใใใ ใ็งใซใฏ็นๅฅใชๅจๅ ทใใใใใใๆ้ใๅใใใจใๅฟ ่ฆใชใใๆฅๅธธ็ๆดปใฎไธญใงใๆญฃ็ขบใชๅงฟๅขใฎไฝฟใๆนใใฌใคใใใใ ใใชใฎใงใใ
ใใ่ใใฆใฟใใฐใใใใใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใปใใฏใใผใฏใฎใฌใในใณใฎ็ฎ็ใงใใใญใ
ๅงฟๅขใฎๆ้ฉๅใฏใ5ๅๅนดไปฅไธใใฎ้ฒๅใฎไธญใงๆด็ทดใใ็ถใใฆใใพใใใใใใปใฉ้ทใ็ ็ฉถ้็บๆ้ใฏไปใซใใใพใใใใใฎใใญใปในใไฟก้ ผใใใจใใใใจใฏใ้ฒๅใใฎใใฎใซ่บซใใใ ใญใใใจใ็งใฏใใใไฟกใใฆใๅคงไธๅคซใ ใจๆใใฆใใพใใ
ใจใฏใใใๅคงใใชๅ้กใๆฎใฃใฆใใพใใ
ใใใใ็ใฟใใงใใ
ใใฎใทใชใผใบใฎๅ้ ญใงใๆธใใพใใใใใชใใใชๆๅใฎ้ตใฏใ็ใฟใจใฎๅใๅใๆนใใซใใใพใใ็ใฟใฏๆ่ฆใฎ้ๅใๅผใ่ตทใใใใไปไฝใ่ตทใใฆใใใฎใใใใใใใซใใใชใใพใใใใใใๅงฟๅขใฎๆ้ฉๅใซใฏใ้ๅธธใซ็ฒพๅฏใงๆ็ขบใชๅใใฎใฌใคใใณในใๆฑใใใใพใใ็ใฟใฏใใใๆใใใใฎใงใใ
็ใฟใจใฏใๅฎใฏๆๅท้จไฝใฎๅ้กใงใฏใชใใ่ณใฎๅใใใงใใ็ใฟใ้ใๆ่ฆใใฃใผใใใใฏใฏใใชใใใชใซๅใใๅใใ่ชๅฐใใใใจใใใใใใพใใ
ๆพ็ฝฎใใใฐใใใใฆ็ใฟใใฎใใฎใใไธปใใๅ้กใใธใจๅค่ฒใใฆใใใพใใ
็งใฏใใใใใฉใใใฃใฆ้ฒใใงใใใฎใงใใใใ๏ผ
ใใใซใฏ็งใชใใฎใ็งไผใฎใฟใฌใใใใใฎใงใ๏ผ
ๆฌกๅใใๆฅฝใใฟใซใ
NEXT: ใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผ้ขจใชใใใชใใผใทใงใณ – ใใผใ-III
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