The Feldenkrais Method® in rehabilitation: a review

Musculoskeletal disorders are often suggested to be caused, in part, by poor postural behaviors that are associated with occupational demands. The inefficacy of conventional strategies to elicit postural correction has prompted many to seek alternative techniques such as the Feldenkrais Method®. The rapidly growing use of the Feldenkrais Method® by laypersons and professionals has been fueled by extravagant claims and data published in non-peer-reviewed sources, for the effectiveness of this technique has been poorly documented in peer-reviewed publications. Therefore the purpose of this review was to critically assess the literature on the Feldenkrais Method® in both juried and non-juried sources. The results have generally indicated some improvement with Feldenkrais® interventions, however, these improvements are not nearly as large as suggested by the anecdotal claims. Unfortunately, most of the juried and non-juried findings and conclusions are questionable due to inadequately controlled studies and other serious methodological problems. As such, determination of the effectiveness of the Feldenkrais Method® based on the literature is difficult at best, and the only justifiable conclusion is that more study is warranted.