The effect of the Feldenkrais method on pain and anxiety in people experiencing chronic low back pain

The aim of this pilot investigation was to evaluate the Feldenkrais Method's effect on pain and state anxiety in people experiencing chronic low back pain. Participants (N = 26) were aged between 25 and 78 years, and were recruited from a community health centre, a rehabilitation hospital, and from the general community. The sample was divided into two groups: Feldenkrais and control. The Feldenkrais group experienced a 30-minute Awareness Through Movement session whilst the control group listened to a narrative of the same duration. Pain was assessed pre and post intervention using the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. State anxiety was also measured pre and post intervention using the State Scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Multivariate Analyses of Variance showed that the Feldenkrais intervention was effective in reducing the affective dimension of pain (p < .05), but not the sensory or evaluative dimensions, nor state anxiety. These findings are discussed in relation to previous research and some of the theoretical concepts assumed to underlie the Feldenkrais Method. The clinical implication of the findings involves the potential for the Feldenkrais Method to complement existing modes of pain management for people experiencing chronic low back problems.