This article is from page 20 of the 2011-11-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
AN ENNIS man has finally got some relief from back pain, after suffering for more than 40 years. Businessman Andy Moloney attended an introductory course in the Alexander Technique in Clare in September and it has changed his life.
Richard Brennan, who presented the session in September, will return to Clare later this month, in response to huge demand.
Andy has benefitted immensely from this, having tried several other methods to recover from back pain which first came about when he was a teenager.
“I have had back trouble for over 40 years, on and off. When I was 15, we had a small farm at home in Clarecastle. I used to do a lot of physical work. I was lifting a barrow of stones. That was my first injury and it has affected my lower back ever since. It can hit out of the blue, like if you lift something wrong. The pain is absolutely excruciating,” said Andy.
Andy underwent surgery several years ago and was told “if I had it a second time, I could end up in a wheelchair”.
“I have been through everything, medically and alternative medicine; osteopaths, physios, chiropractors, acupuncturists, bonesetters, reflexology and quacks. I have tried everything. I was told if I got another serious attack I would have to have surgery regardless,” he said. “The pain is sudden, it is akin to a heart attack. At one stage, about two years ago, I couldn’t get up off the sitting room floor for three days,” he said.
Having read about the Alexander Technique workshop taking place in Clare, Andy decided to attend, in the hope it would help him. He took on board the instructions provided and his back pain has almost cleared. While it has not fully gone away, he no longer has to take painkillers as the pain is no longer acute.
“He (Richard) gave some very simple demonstrations. I could see straight away that he was right. We sit wrong, we stand wrong, we don’t bend properly,” he said.
Andy practices the Alexander Technique for 20 minutes every day and has seen the benefits from it. “I lie on the floor with books under my head. I put my knees up and my hands in a straight position. I can feel the ten- sion leaving my muscles. I get a fabulous night’s sleep, which I never did” he said. “I wouldn’t say it is a miracle cure. It’s not gone completely; it is mending,” he added.
A similar Alexander Technique event will take place later this month, at the Kilmaley Day Care Centre on November 19 and 20. Andrea Martin, who is organising the event, said the response from the first one was “overwhelming”.
“We had to turn people away. We had applicants from teenagers with sports injuries to elderly people with mobility problems,” she said. “Everybody who attended came away feeling they had got great benefit from the course.”
“In order to meet the demand, we couldn’t meet the last time Richard offered to come to County Clare again,” said Andrea.
Anyone interesting in attending the course, which costs € 95, should phone Andrea on 087 2233835 or email andrea_martin@ireland.com.