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Feldenkrais method of exercise therapy (also known as awareness through movement).  It was developed by Moshe Feldendrais, born in the Russian Empire in 1904 and died in Israel 1984.  He was educated at the Sorbonne in Paris.  He developed the technique after suffering a soccer injury.   This is considered experimental by Aetna and some other insurances.  This is a movement therapy designed to reduce pain or limitations in movement.  It is designed to improve physical function and to promote generalized wellbeing by increasing student’s awareness of themselves.  The technique was partially based on the Alexander technique developed half a century earlier.  Feldenkrais taught increasing a person’s movement and proprioceptive (position sense) self awareness could reduce pain and bring greater ease and pleasure of movement.  It involves training and certification of practitioners, many of which are physical therapists and others involvement in movement therapies.  This has been shown to be an effective therapy for chronic neck pain on several outcome measures in a randomized trial (Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2014 Sep;95(9):1656-61).  However another randomized trial did not report any improvement in osteoarthritis pain or quality of life after a 30 week session of Feldenkrais. (Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2013;2013:479142).   Painbytes assessment is neutral given the varied results.

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