Alexander Flavoured Rehabilitation โ VIII - ไบใคใฎ่ฒ ๅทใใ่ ใฎ็ฉ่ช
Jul 06, 2025
ใไปฅไธๆฅๆฌ่ชใ
The Story Of Two Injured Arms
A friend of mine—who shall remain nameless—is an Alexander teacher who also recently experienced a shoulder injury. When my first (sometimes) Daily came out, his partner mentioned him to me, so I reached out: the following is an edited summary of our exchange…
MY ORIGINAL EMAIL
I am sorry to hear from [his partner] that you are experiencing some months of persistent shoulder pain after an injury. I am glad she told me, as it inspired me to write more about the ’secret sauce’ I use to lessen my pain. If it’s still an issue, I’m happy to share time with you in Dublin to explore it …
HIS 1st REPLY
I'm sorry to hear about your fall! I hope you're feeling better, and thanks for the offer to explore the secret sauce in Dublin, if this is still an issue.
My experience was actually that any relaxing of the shoulder or letting it hang was what caused the pain, so over several months of compensation to do what felt like holding it secure in the joint to avoid pain, it seems that the original issue is now better, but I'm now having pain from having held my arm a certain way. So what I'm working on now is trying to let that go and regain some mobility. It's pretty locked. I'm getting more insight though into some old patterns, which is interesting.
MY 1st RESPONSE
Is it the right shoulder?
I watched a recent video of you, and I thought it was the left, but since reading your email, I’m not so sure.
I think the issue lies in the distinction between voluntary movements (VM) and postural movements (PM). What you described you did - “holding it secure in the joint to avoid pain” - comes across as a VM-based solution, which therapeutic regimes also pursue. My insight is that any treatment must be accompanied by focusing specifically on the mechanism of postural optimisation in the damaged area. This is a powerful catalyst for healing an injury.
Unlike VM, you can’t make PM do what you want - you don’t have direct control - but you can ask - the clarity of your request functions indirectly to produce beneficial results. You ask for an imaginary WHAT, but let the system action the HOW.
I am guessing you tried to do the HOW?
The HOW is using voluntary control (VM) to lift your shoulder girdle up - instead of asking for a WHAT - that your head and spine would move in a way (classical lengthening) that sends your whole arm upwards and forwards from the sterno-clavicular joint (classical widening). That’s my quick take on it anyway. Both methods involve movement happening, but the PM version is a bit of a mystery. You have to trust that your system will give you what you are asking for, and it is always a delightful surprise when it does!
But the VM way works too - it’s just not as fast or effective. It’s like a shadow technique. As an example, immediately after my accident, I could not move my arm higher than 45 degrees because of intense pain. I couldn’t put on my shirt, belt or socks, lift a coffee cup or reach up to a cupboard with my right hand. Now, 2 weeks later, I can do all those things, and my pain is sporadic rather than continuous.
Anyway, I didn’t write any of that in my blog, so maybe I should!
HIS 2ND RESPONSE
It’s my left shoulder.
The voluntary movement wasn’t really voluntary. More like it seized up and I was also avoiding letting my arm be passive, which lead to some holding. Weight bearing actually feels best, so I’ve been continuing to do yoga.
I’ve been doing some energy work over the past few months (something I’ve learned to do myself) that I find very helpful and I’ve actually felt a need to get away from AT a bit and do some more subtle things that are even more indirect, but it’s actually all very related.
I think get a bit over fixated on AT directions, so I’m actually trying to think of them less, and differently, and connect it with what I’m learning with the energy work.
That said, your results sound amazing and I’m happy to try your suggestions.
[My partner] thinks I’m not “doing” enough and is worried that I’m going to end up with chronic pain. The most helpful thing she’s done though is just put her hands on my shoulder and quietly direct for 10 minutes. :-)
MY 2nd RESPONSE
Ahhh—it is the left shoulder!
I initially guessed that because your left shoulder is lower than the right in your recent video. Contrary to popular belief, shoulders go up when functioning well, not down!
Yes, someone wrote criticising me that my series was coming across as though Alexander's Discovery was the solution to all pain – of course it is not! Great to hear you are doing some non-linear type healing stuff too...
It makes sense to me that your shoulder would hurt more when it dropped - my guess is there was some Arthogenic Muscle Inhibition (AMI) happening i.e. you were unconsciously switching off the deeper stabilising muscles, so your arm dropped, but this put some strain on the injury. Lifting it up again takes off that strain, but it is a localised VM action, rather than an integrated postural optimisation, hence a secondary problem emerging of a “locked” muscle group. It’s VM versus PM again.
Only a guess - I am not a therapist!
Weirdly, in my own case, I found that holding a bag in my hand while running - a version of the weight-bearing that you wrote felt better - also reduced my pain. I wondered if it was because it overrode my AMI or because I moved my arm around less…
You’re spot on in saying that the most useful thing is some Alexander touch to your shoulder - that is the essence of my “secret” PM sauce. I think that awful “locked” feeling you mentioned is the beginning of frozen shoulder - I am battling it every day! Alexander touch triggers the postural movement system (PMS) to unlock itself, but what do you do if there is no teacher around?
I told [your partner] that she had to do 10 minutes of “Alexander” shoulder touching with you every day! I believe that is one of the best things you can do for a quicker and complete recovery.
I remember Marj (Marjory Barstow 1899-1995) once saying as she touched my upper arms: “We don’t know anything about this area.” I always wondered why she said that, but as I continue studying my arm’s optimisation, I start to understand why!
P.S. This dialogue touches upon many of the ideas more fully expressed in my 8-Part Rehabilitation series, now displayed on my website: www.atsuccess.com/blog
*** JAPANESE ***
Alexander้ขจใชใใใชใใผใทใงใณ – VIII - ไบใคใฎ่ฒ ๅทใใ่ ใฎ็ฉ่ช
ใใๅไบบ๏ผๅๅใฏไผใใฆใใใพใ๏ผใฏใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใปใใฏใใผใฏๆๅธซใงใๆ่ฟ่ฉใ่ฒ ๅทใใ็ต้จใใใใพใใ็งใฎๆๅใฎ๏ผๆใ ๏ผDailyใใญใฐใ่ชญใใ ๅฝผใฎใใผใใใผใๅฝผใฎใใจใ็งใซๆใใฆใใใใฎใงใ็งใฏ้ฃ็ตกใๅใใพใใใไปฅไธใฏใใฎใใๅใใฎ็ทจ้่ฆ็ดใงใใ
***
็งใฎๆๅใฎใกใผใซ
[ๅฝผใฎใใผใใใผ]ใใใใใชใใๆฐใถๆใซใใใ่ฉใฎ็ใฟใซๆฉใพใใใฆใใใจ่ใใใจใฆใๆฐใฎๆฏใซๆใฃใฆใใพใใๅฝผๅฅณใ็ฅใใใฆใใใฆใใใฃใใ็งใ็ใฟใๅใใใใใใซไฝฟใฃใฆใใ“็งไผใฎใฝใผใน”ใซใคใใฆใใใฃใจๆธใใใจใใๆฐใซใชใฃใใใใงใใใใใพใ ๅ้กใ็ถใใฆใใใชใใใใใชใณใงไธ็ทใซๆขใฃใฆใฟใพใใใ๏ผ
ๅฝผใฎๆๅใฎ่ฟไฟก
่ปขๅใใใจใฎใใจใใๆฐใฎๆฏใงใ๏ผๅๅพฉใใฆใใใใจใ้กใฃใฆใใพใใใใๅฟ ่ฆใชใใใใใชใณใง“็งไผใฎใฝใผใน”ใๆขใใจใใๆๆกใซใๆ่ฌใงใใ
็งใฎๅ ดๅใ่ฉใใชใฉใใฏในใใใใๅใใใใจใ็ใฟใฎๅๅ ใซใชใฃใฆใใใใใงใ็ใฟใ้ฟใใใใใซๆฐใถๆ้ใ่ฉใ้ข็ฏใซใใฃใใๅใพใฃใฆใใใใใซใๅบๅฎใใใใใใช่ฃๅๅไฝใใใฆใใพใใใๅ ใ ใฎๅ้กใฏใใใง่ฏใใชใฃใใใใงใใใไปใฏ้ใซใใใฎใๅบๅฎใใซใใฃใฆ็ใฟใๅบใฆใใใใใงใใ็พๅจใฏใใใๆๆพใใฆใๅฏๅๆงใๅใๆปใใใจใใฆใใพใใใใชใๅบใพใฃใฆใใพใใใงใใใใฎ้็จใงๅคใใใฟใผใณใซๅฏพใใๆดๅฏใๅพใฆใใฆใใใใฏ่ๅณๆทฑใใงใใญใ
็งใฎๆๅใฎ่ฟไฟก
ๅณ่ฉใงใใ๏ผ
ๆ่ฟใฎใใใชใ่ฆใๆใฏๅทฆใฎใใใซๆใฃใใฎใงใใใใกใผใซใ่ชญใใงใใ็ขบไฟกใๆใฆใชใใชใใพใใใ
ๅ้กใฏใ้ๆ้ๅ๏ผVM๏ผใจๅงฟๅข้ๅ๏ผPM๏ผใฎๅบๅฅใซใใใจๆใใพใใใใชใใใใฃใใจใใใ้ข็ฏใซใใฃใใๅบๅฎใใฆ็ใฟใ้ฟใใใๅไฝใฏใ้ๆ้ๅใซๅบใฅใ่งฃๆฑบๆณใฎใใใซๆใใใใพใใใใใฏๅคใใฎๆฒป็ๆณใงใ่กใใใๆนๆณใงใใ
็งใฎๆฐใฅใใฏใใฉใใชๆฒป็ใงใใใๆๅทใใ้จไฝใซใใใๅงฟๅขใฎๆ้ฉๅใฎใกใซใใบใ ใซ็ฆ็นใๅฝใฆใๅฟ ่ฆใใใใใจใใ็นใงใใใใใใใใๅๅพฉใไฟ้ฒใใๅผทๅใช่งฆๅชใชใฎใงใใ
้ๆ้ๅใจใฏ็ฐใชใใPMใฏ่ชๅใฎๆๆใงใใใใใใจใใงใใพใใใ็ดๆฅใณใณใใญใผใซใงใใชใใฎใงใใใงใใใ้กใใใใใใจใฏใงใใใใใฎใ้กใใฎๆ็ขบใใใ้ๆฅ็ใซ่ฏใ็ตๆใ็ใฟๅบใใพใใ“WHAT”ใๆณๅใใใใใใทในใใ ใซไปปใใฆ“HOW”ใๅฎ่กใใใใ
ใใชใใฏ “HOW” ใใใใใจใใใฎใงใฏ๏ผ
ใคใพใใ้ๆ็ใชVMใง่ฉ็ฒๅธฏใๆใกไธใใใใจใใใใใใใPM็ใขใใญใผใใงใใใฐใ้ ญใจ่ๆคใๅใใใใซ๏ผใใใใๅคๅ ธ็ใช้ทใใชใๅใ๏ผใ้กใใใใใใซใใฃใฆ่ธ้้ข็ฏ๏ผSC๏ผใใ่ ๅ จไฝใไธๆนใปๅๆนใซ้ใใใ๏ผใใใใๅคๅ ธ็ใชๅบใใ๏ผใใจใซใชใใพใใใใฃใใ่จใใฐใใใใช้ใใงใใใฉใกใใๅใใฏ่ตทใใพใใใPMใฏๅฐใ็ฅ็ง็ใงใใ่ชๅใฎใทในใใ ใใ้กใใซๅฟใใฆใใใใใจใไฟก้ ผใใชใใใฐใชใใชใใใใใฆใใใใๅฎ็พใใใจใใฏใใคใๅฌใใ้ฉใใใใใพใ๏ผ
ใงใVMใงใๅนๆใฏใใใพใใใใ ใ้ๅบฆใๅนๆใPMใปใฉใงใฏใใใพใใใๅฝฑใฎใใฏใใใฏใฎใใใชใใฎใงใใ
ใใจใใฐ็ง่ช่บซใไบๆ ็ดๅพใฏๆฟ็ใง่ ใ45ๅบฆไปฅไธไธใใใพใใใงใใใใทใฃใใใใซใใ้ดไธใ็ใใใใใใณใผใใผใซใใใๆฃใฎ็ฉใๅณๆใงใฏๆใกไธใใใใพใใใงใใใใงใใ2้ฑ้ๅพใฎไปใใในใฆใงใใใใใซใชใใพใใใ็ใฟใๆญ็ถ็ใซใชใฃใฆใใพใใ
ใใฎใใใใใใญใฐใงใฏใพใ ๆธใใฆใชใใฃใใชใใๆธใในใใใ๏ผ
ๅฝผใฎ2ๅ็ฎใฎ่ฟไฟก
ๅทฆ่ฉใงใใ
้ๆ็ใชๅใใจใใใใใๅใใใๅบใพใฃใฆใใพใฃใใๆใใงใ่ ใใใ ไผใพใใใใจใ้ฟใใฆใใใฎใงใใใใใไฟๆใใใใใจใซใคใชใใฃใฆใใพใใใไฝ้ใใใใๅใใฎๆนใใใใๅฟๅฐใใๆใใใใใฎใงใใจใฌใฏ็ถใใฆใใพใใ
ใใๆฐใถๆใ่ชๅใงๅญฆใใ “ใจใใซใฎใผใฏใผใฏ”ใใใฆใใฆใ้ๅธธใซๅฉใใใใฆใใพใใๅฎใฏไธๆ็ใซATใใๅฐใ้ขใใฆใใใฃใจๅพฎ็ดฐใง้ๆฅ็ใชใขใใญใผใใๆขใฃใฆใใพใใใใงใใใใใใในใฆๆทฑใ้ขไฟใใฆใใใใงใใใญใ
ATใฎๆนๅๆงใซใใ ใใใใใฆใใพใๅพๅใใใใฎใงใไปใฏใใใใใใพใ่ใใชใใใใซใใฆใๆฐใใๅญฆใใงใใใจใใซใฎใผใฏใผใฏใจ็ตฑๅใใใใจใใฆใใพใใ
ใงใใใชใใฎๆๆใฏ็ด ๆดใใใใงใใญใๆๆกใ่ฉฆใใฆใฟใใใงใใ
[ใใผใใใผ]ใฏใ็งใใใกใใใจใใฃใฆใชใใใจๅฟ้ ใใฆใใฆใใใฎใพใพใ ใจๆ ขๆง็ใซใชใใใใใชใใใจใใงใไธ็ชๅฉใใใใใฎใฏใๅฝผๅฅณใใใ 10ๅ้ใ้ใใซ่ฉใซๆใ็ฝฎใใฆ“ๆ็คบ”ใใฆใใใใใจใงใ :-)
็งใฎ2ๅ็ฎใฎ่ฟไฟก
ใใใใใฃใฑใๅทฆ่ฉใงใใใ๏ผ
ๆๅใซใใๆใฃใใฎใฏใๆ่ฟใฎใใใชใงๅทฆ่ฉใๅณใใใไธใใฃใฆใใใใใงใใไธ่ฌ็ใช่ชค่งฃใจใฏ้ใงใ่ฉใใใพใๆฉ่ฝใใฆใใใจใใฏไธใใใฎใงใฏใชใใไธใใใใฎใงใ๏ผ
ๅฎใฏใใไบบใใใใใใฎ้ฃ่ผใฏใใใใใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผใฎ็บ่ฆใใในใฆใฎ็ใฟใซๅฏพใใไธ่ฝ่ฌใงใใใใฎใใใซ่ใใใใใจๆนๅคใใใพใใใใงใใใใกใใใใใชใใจใฏใใใพใใ๏ผใใชใใ้็ทๅฝข็ใชใใผใชใณใฐใใใฆใใใจ่ใใฆใใใใใงใใ
่ฉใไธใใใจ็ใใจใใใฎใฏ็ใซใใชใฃใฆใใพใใใใถใ้ข็ฏๅๆง็ญๆๅถ๏ผAMI๏ผใ่ตทใใฆใใใฎใงใฏใชใใงใใใใใใคใพใใๆทฑๅฑคใฎๅฎๅฎ็ญใ็กๆ่ญใซใชใใซใชใใ่ ใไธใใฃใฆใใพใใใใฎ่ฒ ๆ ใ็ใฟใจใชใฃใใใใฎใใใ่ ใๆใกไธใใใจใใฎในใใฌในใๆธใใ็ใฟใ็ทฉๅใใใใใงใใใใฏๅฑๆ็ใชVMใฎๅใใงใใฃใฆใ็ตฑๅใใใๅงฟๅขใฎๆ้ฉๅใงใฏใชใใใ ใใไปๅบฆใฏๅฅใฎใใญใใฏใใใ็ญ่ๅ้กใๅบใฆใใใใใใงใใพใVM vs PMใงใใญใ
ใใใพใง็งใฎไปฎ่ชฌใงใใ็งใฏๆฒป็ๅฎถใงใฏใใใพใใ๏ผ
ๅฅๅฆใงใใใ็ง่ช่บซใ่ตฐใใจใใซๆใซใใใฐใๆใฃใฆใใใจ๏ผใใชใใฎ่จใไฝ้ๆฏๆใซ่ฟใ๏ผ็ใฟใๆธใฃใใใงใใAMIใๆใใใใใใใใ่ ใๅใใใชใใชใฃใใใใ…ไธๆ่ญฐใงใใญใ
ใใชใใ่จใ้ใใไธ็ชๆๅนใชใฎใฏ่ฉใธใฎใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผ็ใฟใใใงใใใใใใใ็งใฎ“็งๅฏใฎPMใฝใผใน”ใฎๆฌ่ณชใชใใงใใใใชใใฎ่จใฃใฆใใ“ใญใใฏๆ”ใฏใไบๅ่ฉใฎๅงใพใใ ใจๆใใพใใ็งใๆฏๆฅใใฎ้ฒ่กใจๆฆใฃใฆใใพใ๏ผ
ใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผ็ใชใฟใใใฏ**ๅงฟๅข้ๅใทในใใ ๏ผPMS๏ผ**ใๆดปๆงๅใใฆใ่ช็ถใซ่งฃ้คใใใๆนๅใธๅฐใใฆใใใพใใใงใๆๅธซใใใชใใจใใฏใฉใใใใฐใใ๏ผ
็งใฏ[ใใผใใใผ]ใซใใๆฏๆฅ10ๅใใใชใใฎ่ฉใซใขใฌใฏใตใณใใผ็ใชๆใ็ฝฎใใฆใใใฆ๏ผใใจไผใใพใใใใใใๅๅพฉใๆฉใใใใใฆๅฎๅ จใชใใฎใซใใๆ่ฏใฎๆนๆณใฎใฒใจใคใ ใจ็งใฏไฟกใใฆใใพใใ
ๆใใใผใธ๏ผใใผใธใงใชใผใปใใผในใใฆ 1899–1995๏ผใ็งใฎไธ่ ใซๆใ็ฝฎใใฆใใ่จใฃใใใจใๆใๅบใใพใ๏ผ
ใใใฎ่พบใใซใคใใฆใฏใ็งใใกใฏใพใ ไฝใใใใฃใฆใใชใใฎใใใ
ๅฝๆใฏๆๅณใใใใใพใใใงใใใใ่ชๅใฎ่ ใฎ“ๆ้ฉๅ”ใๅญฆใณ็ถใใใใกใซใใใฎ่จ่ใฎๆๅณใใ ใใ ใใใใฃใฆใใพใใ๏ผ
NOTE: ใใฎๅฏพ่ฉฑใซใฏใ็งใฎ8ๅใซใใใใชใใใชใใผใทใงใณใปใทใชใผใบใงใใ่ฉณใใ่ฟฐในใฆใใๅคใใฎใขใคใใขใๅซใพใใฆใใพใใใทใชใผใบๅ จๆใฏไปฅไธใฎใฆใงใใตใคใใง่ชญใใพใ๏ผhttps://atsuccess.com/blog
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