Austin (76) experienced a severe injury to the humerus of his right arm during a mugging in January 2023. The injury involved a complete fracture of one-third of the humerus, a posterior dislocation of the humeral head from the shoulder socket, and multiple bone fragments.
For several months, the arm was in a sling most of the time. The bones of my arm became infected, and the infection slowed all recovery a great deal. It required multiple surgeries to clean out and treat the infection, followed by a return to the sling. All this meant that the muscles of my arm and shoulder spent a long time losing strength and mobility.— Austin
This prolonged immobilization resulted in significant muscle weakness and reduced mobility in the arm and shoulder.
Rehabilitation Journey
Austin's recovery required an extended period of treatment for infection and multiple surgeries, including bone replacement and, eventually, a reverse shoulder replacement to restore mobility.
He recalls beginning Alexander Technique lessons during this difficult period:
When I began working with Anna, I had little idea of what we would be doing. I still had quite a bit of pain in the arm and shoulder. I knew I was carrying my shoulder very carefully in an attempt to avoid pain, but I did not realize how high—and with how much tension—I was holding the shoulder.— Austin
Our sessions initially focused on restoring overall body balance despite the arm's immobility, which caused discomfort and pain during movement.
Austin explains:
Anna spends time working on multiple aspects of my body and movement, but she has certainly worked most at helping me ease the arm and shoulder. There was a lot to do.— Austin
Gradually, I introduced Alexander Technique directions—allowing the head to move forward and up while lengthening the back—to improve Austin's balance and coordination. By exploring the opposition between the head, feet, ribcage, and shoulder support, we were able to gradually release protective tension around the injured area.
This process helped Austin become aware of his unconscious habit of holding excessive tension in an effort to avoid pain.
With much patience, Anna showed me ways to think about what I was doing and how to begin to use the arm and shoulder without tension. And she showed me that those ways of moving actually had less pain—and more range of motion.— Austin
As Austin began trusting the support of his torso, he learned to initiate movement through a fingers–wrist–elbow sequence. This approach helped reduce tension in the shoulder and neck.
However, slow bone healing required another surgery, temporarily pausing our sessions.
Benefits of the Alexander Technique
Following surgery, Austin reported significant benefits from returning to Alexander Technique lessons, including a reduction in pain and muscular tension.
He explained that during early recovery:
From the first week of limited physical activity and post-surgery pain, productive resting became essential.— Austin
Once his doctor cleared him for activity, Austin resumed lessons and quickly regained much of his pre-surgery mobility by applying the internal directions he had previously learned.
These lessons helped him interrupt habitual compensatory patterns and replace them with more efficient and supportive movement strategies.
One ongoing challenge was maintaining balance between both sides of the body. Austin often focused attention on the injured right arm while unintentionally neglecting the healthy left side.
Using the Alexander Technique exercise “hands on the back of a chair” proved especially helpful in restoring equilibrium. This approach encouraged finger-led movement while maintaining primary control and overall coordination.
As Austin prepared for reverse shoulder replacement surgery, he shared:
I was optimistic about my recovery for a second time. I noticed our lessons helped ease post-surgery difficulties by recognizing and halting unwanted tension.— Austin
Recovery and Outcome
Today, Austin continues working to regain control of movement, increase his range of motion, and strengthen the muscles surrounding his new shoulder joint.
He combines physical therapy with Alexander Technique lessons, and each medical follow-up has confirmed steady progress.
Austin reflects on his recovery:
It's now almost two years since my injury. Ten months ago, the infection was finally gone. I received a total reverse shoulder replacement, and it was also necessary to remove my rotator cuff. Though there is still pain—it was a very severe injury, compounded with multiple operations on the bones and muscles—the pain is very much reduced.— Austin
Despite occasional discomfort, he reports clear improvements:
I don't manage to relax the shoulder all the time—Anna still has to remind me not to tense and use it when it's not necessary—but the shoulder is tension-free a great deal of the time. This has certainly made life more comfortable and helped the recovery progress very much. My range of motion has increased a great deal.— Austin
Recently, Austin shared an encouraging observation:
My brother visited me after several months apart. He said I looked much better, more at ease, and that my shoulders were finally the same height.— Austin
Austin has even returned to playing the piano—something he loved before the accident.
Our current lessons focus on reducing the tendency to favor the injured shoulder while encouraging freedom of movement through torso expansion and spinal lengthening.
Conclusion
Austin's recovery illustrates how the Alexander Technique can support rehabilitation after severe injury and surgery. By emphasizing reduced tension, improved balance, and more efficient movement patterns, the technique helped him regain mobility, reduce pain, and return to meaningful activities.
His experience highlights the potential role of the Alexander Technique as a valuable complement to medical treatment and physical therapy in post-injury recovery and long-term quality of life.
Considering Alexander Technique for Injury Recovery?
If you're recovering from injury or surgery and want to reduce tension and restore balanced movement, a free 15-minute consultation can help you explore whether this work is right for you.
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