Chronic pain and the Alexander Technique

16 May

Have you ever caught yourself sitting or standing in a position or holding your body in a way that feels uncomfortable or even painful, and yet you stay there? Why do we hold ourselves in ways that seem to work against us?

You might think it’s a matter of bad habits or poor posture, but there’s often much more going on beneath the surface.

There Might Be A Story Behind

Our body is flexible and adaptive. However, when we hold ourselves to the point where pain starts to creep in or become chronic, that's the time we need to pay closer attention. A posture that is a reaction to a stimulating environment might be unhealthy or disadvantageous, but it’s never meaningless.

We didn't end up in these shapes by accident, whether it’s slouched shoulders, a clenched jaw, or a tucked pelvis. There’s always a reason—even if we’re not consciously aware of it.

When I was a teenager, I did not feel I had a safe space to express my negative emotions. Unconsciously, I was fighting against my body whenever negative emotions were coming up by holding and keeping emotions inside.

One of the results was that I got TMJ dysfunction (Temporomandibular joint dysfunction), which means my jaw was so tensed that it started to feel sore when I chewed or played the flute. I had been holding lots of pressure around my jaw and neck by pushing down all those negative emotions, but I was not conscious of it.

I went to see a doctor, who I can sense there wasn’t much that he could do apart from giving me some muscle relaxant and told me to reduce my level of stress. The problem was, I DID NOT feel stressed! That was just my life as a student who needs to prepare for exams, and it seems normal and fine to me. I felt frustrated and didn’t know where to start to change for about 5 years.

Now trained as an Alexander Technique teacher, I see posture and pain as more than just a physical alignment issue. I see it as a coping mechanism.

Coping With What?

That’s something only you can begin to discover, if you slow down and tune in to what your body might be trying to say.

Sometimes our posture is shaped by:

Imitating a parent or teacher in early life

Bracing to protect against stress, impact, or trauma

Reducing uncomfortable sensations or emotions

Conquering overwhelming situations by shutting down or tensing up

We don’t just choose these body shapes and conditions—they’re often unconscious reactions to something we had to get through. In that moment, the body made a decision: “This is how we survive.”

Every Behaviour Has a Positive Intention

This concept, drawn from fields like Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and trauma-informed practices, suggests that even our most frustrating habits once served a purpose.

If you slouched, maybe it was to avoid being noticed. If you tightened your shoulders, perhaps it was to protect yourself, physically or emotionally.

And it worked. You made it through.

For me, refraining from expressing my negative emotions was a way to prevent causing more chaos around me, and it worked. At the cost of my health, but it worked.

The problem is when we hold on to those old coping mechanisms long after the situation has passed.

Living in Survival Mode

If we’re always in a state of fight, flight, or freeze, our bodies stay on high alert. Muscles tighten, breathing becomes shallow, and pain or fatigue may increase over time.

Eventually, if we ignore the body’s signals, symptoms can become chronic—tightness, tension, burnout, or illness.

It’s like the body saying, “You didn’t listen when I whispered. So now I’m shouting.”

Before I knew anything about the Alexander Technique, my TMJ dysfunction got worse at times when I needed to handle more emotional challenges, intensive flute practices, or several performances in a row. I did not realise that the way I used my body was going against myself. Until I started learning about the inter-relational connection between the body and the mind in the Alexander Technique at the Royal Academy of Music.

You Can Always Return to Safety

The good news is: it’s never too late.

Neuroscience and movement education, including the Alexander Technique, show us that the brain and body are plastic—they can change. With gentle attention, movement, and mindset shifts, we can begin to unwind old patterns and reconnect with safety and ease.

After I started having Alexander Technique lessons, I gradually experienced how light and fluid my body was after each lesson. I was able to catch myself tightening up my jaw more often. This gave me a chance to bring the issue to the surface and start seeing the connection between how my jaw started to feel sore whenever I was in a more emotionally challenging situation. I was able to consciously bring back the ease I experienced in the lesson and break the pattern every time I caught myself reacting the old way. Slowly, I can see it has transformed the way I feel and the way I express myself. Now my TMJ dysfunction is so much better than before.

Change begins by listening to your body and mind — by reconnecting with yourself as a whole.

If you resonate with my words and would like to book an Alexander Technique session with me, you can contact me here or follow me on Instagram

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