Feldenkrais® Method Research

A subject with Rheumatoid Arthritis participated in several Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement sessions. As a result, the patient learned to rise from a chair without assistance from the upper extremities, and to use less kinetic energy. Walking speed increased and there was a 30% decrease in pain intensity. Findings: Awareness Through Movement lessons improve functional movements in spite of long term disability.

Twenty-one subjects with Rheumatoid Arthritis were tested after a series of Awareness Through Movement lessons. The results: significant change in both the muscle activity and the perceived effort of the task (using electromyographic equipment during trunk flexion.) Two years post-treatment, a large percentage of subjects had increased function, continued to maintain higher levels of function, continued to use the skills they learned and felt that theFeldenkrais lessons helped them with their pain problem.

Narula, M., Jackson, O., Kulig, K. The Effects of Six Week of Feldenkrais Method on Selected Functional Parameters in a Subject with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Physical Therapy 72: (suppl.) S86,1992.

Narula, M. Effect of Six Weeks of Awareness Through Movement Lessons on Selected Functional Movements Parameters in Individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis (A Pilot Study Using Single Subject Case Study Design). Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Exercise Science, Oakland University, Rochester, MI: 1993.

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Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Functional Integration®, and Awareness Through Movement®, are Servicemarks of The Feldenkrais Guild®