Title of thesis: Source analysis and comparation of Feldenkrais inspired movement and visual stimulation using sLORETA Objectives: The thesis aim is to evaluate intracerebral source activity during a simple arm movement inspired by Feldenkrais method and to compare it with a visual stimulation of the same movement presented in a clip and with an imagination of the same movement. The movement inspired by Feldenkrais method was simplified to a repeated flexion of the dominant arm. Source analysis was evaluated from EEG and processed using sLORETA program, Methods: To obtain the data, experimental group was put together containing 12 participants aged 22-60, (mean = 27.2), both genders included. Participants were subjected to one-off measurement by the EEG instrument. Feldenkrais inspired movement of a flexion of a dominant upper right arm was investigated. The experiment constisted of six parts: 1. native EEG record with eyes closed and open, 2. active flexion of the dominant upper arm with eyes closed, 3. active flexion of the dominant upper arm with eyes opened, 4. watching video presenting repeated upper arm flexion, 5. dominant upper arm flexion imagination with eyes closed. Every part lasted for two minutes. Between individuals parts was inserted a pause. Obtained EEG data were processed with...

Bakgrund: Medvetenhet om kropp och rörelse nämns ofta som en viktig fakor i att öka prestationsförmåga, undvika skador, nå högre livskvalitet och förbätta sjukdomstillstånd. Det har länge funnits ambitioner att förbättra rörelse genom ökad medvetenhet. Feldenkraismetoden är en metod för att förbättra rörelse genom förhöjd rörelsemedvetenhet och är förenlig med nutida vetenskap men förhållandevis lite empirisk forskning stöder metodens effektivitet. De flesta tidigare studier har varit på någon form av dysfunktion och ofta subjektiv upplevelse snarare än objektiva värden. Det har varit svårt för Feldenkraispedagoger att finna rätt mätmetoder för att utvärdera metoden. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att utvärdera effekten av träning för ökad rörelsemedvetenhet enligt Feldenkraismetoden på rörelse hos friska personer genom kvantitativ mätning. Metod: Friska kvinnor i en experimentgrupp (n=4, 30±7 år) och en kontrollgrupp (n=4, 26±2 år) testades med fem kvantitativa rörelsetester; one-leg standing balance, one-leg standing long jump, standing triple jump, star excursion balance test och upper quarter Y-balance test, innan och efter en intervention ledd av en auktoriserad Feldenkraispedagog där experimentgruppen genomgick tio träningsfällen enligt Feldenkraismetoden under fem veckors tid. Resultat: Signifikant förbättring (P≤0,05) i förhållande till både förtest och kontrollgrupp sågs vid star excursion balance test för vänster ben. Slutsats: Träning för ökad rörelsemedvetenhet enligt Feldenkraismetoden verkar kunna leda till förbättring i kvantitativt mätt rörelse hos friska kvinnor. Vidare forskning med fler deltagare är nödvändig för att bättre besvara hypotesen att träning för ökad rörelsemedvetenhet genom en intervention med Feldenkraismetoden leder till förbättrade resultat i de utvalda testerna hos friska personer. / Background: Awareness of body and movement is often mentioned as an important factor in increasing performance ability, avoiding injury, reaching a higher quality of life and improving conditions of illness. There has long been an ambition to improve movement through increased awareness. The Feldenkrais method is a method for improving movement through increased movement-awareness and is compatible with modern science. but comparatively little empirical research supports the methods effectivity. Most earlier studies have been on subjects with some form of dysfunction and often on subjective experience rather than objective measurements. It has been challenging for Feldenkrais-practitioners to find suitable ways of measurement for evaluating the method. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of training for increased movement-awareness according to the Feldenkrais method on movement in healthy subjects by quantitative measurements. Method: Healthy women in an experiment-group (n=4, 30±7 years) and a control-group (n=4, 26±2 years) were tested with five quantitative movement-tests; one-leg standing balance, one-leg standing long jump, standing triple jump, star excursion balance test and upper quarter Y-balance test, before and after an intervention where the experiment-group went through ten training sessions according to the Feldenkrais method during five weeks time. Results: Significant improvement (P≤0,05) in comparison to both pre-test and change in the control-group was seen for star excursion balance test of the left leg. Conclusion: Training for increased movement-awareness according to the Feldenkrais method seem to be able to improve quantitatively measured movement in healthy women. Further research with more participants is necessary to better answer the hypothesis that training for increased movement-awareness in accordance with the Feldenkrais method leads to improved results in the chosen tests in healthy persons.

Bibliografic identification BESTOVÁ, Zuzana. The effect of The Feldenkrais method on body schema. Prague: Charles University in Prague, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Department of rehabilitation and exercise medicine, 2012. 96 pages. Supervisor Mgr. Magdaléna Lepšíková. Abstract The diploma thesis deals with neurophysiological concept of body schema and evaluation of the effect of the Feldenkrais method (FM) on its quality. The research comprises two groups of probands without motor system disorders. The participants passed an investigation of the body schema quality by the following tests: a test of estimation of body dimensions (width of mouth, width of shoulders, width of hips and length of foot), a modification of Petrie's test, a test of proprioception and a test of graphestesia. The examination was accomplished before FM investigation and after the course. The first group (group A) comprised 13 individuals (5 males, 8 females) who participated in a semestral course of FM, the second group of probands (group B) included 17 individuals (3 males, 14 females) underwent a two days long FM program. A significant improvement (p = 0,0027) in the estimation of the length of foot was detected after FM intervention in group B. There was not a significant improvement in any of estimated body dimensions in group A....

How can vibrotactile stimuli be used to create a technology-mediated somatic learning experience? This question motivates this practice-based research, which explores how the Feldenkrais Method and cognate neuroscience research can be applied to technology design. Supported by somaesthetic philosophy, soma-based design theories, and a critical acknowledgement of the socially-inflected body, the research develops a systematic method grounded in first- and third-person accounts of embodied experience to inform the creation and evaluation of design of Haplós, a wearable, user-customisable, remote-controlled technology that plays methodically composed vibrotactile patterns on the skin in order to facilitate body awareness—the major outcome of this research and a significant contribution to soma-based creative work. The research also contributes to design theory and somatic practice by developing the notion of a somatic learning affordance, which emerged during course of the research and which describes the capacity of a material object to facilitate somatic learning. Two interdisciplinary collaborations involving Haplós contribute to additional fields and disciplines. In partnership with experimental psychologists, Haplós was used in a randomised controlled study that contributes to cognitive psychology by showing that vibrotactile compositions can reduce, with statistical significance, intrusive food-related thoughts. Haplós was also used in Bisensorial, an award-winning, collaboratively developed proof-of-concept of a neuroadaptive vibroacoustic therapeutic device that uses music and vibrotactile stimuli to induce desired mental states. Finally, this research contributes to cognitive science and embodied philosophy by advancing a neuroscientific understanding of vibrotactile somaesthetics, a novel extension of somaesthetic philosophy.

Title of the Thesis: Experiences of the Feldenkrais Method Practitioners with group lessons Awareness Through Movement for Children The Aim of the Thesis: The Aim of the Thesis is finding out possible uses of Feldenkrais Method (FM) - Awareness Through Movement (ATM) in group lessons for children. We will use theoretical sources and information gained by internationally certified practitioners who use FM lessons for children groups. Method: We will use theoretical qualitative research Phenomenological conception, which has descriptive-analytical character. We chose this research because it was the most suitable one. Its main goal is description and analysis of the experience gained in the specific area. (phenomenon, action, situation or process). We cooperated with internationally certified practitioners who have used FM lessons for children groups. The research was provided by the written interview with open questions. Gained information were analyzed by topic analysis and then evaluated from the view of different topics. Results: The Thesis was dealing with the phenomenon of group lessons of Feldenkrais method (FM) - Awareness Through Movement (ATM). The results showed that this method and its principles can be used for children with or without specific needs from the age of two or three. We...

Title of the thesis: The influence of exercise on subjective perception of our own body in participants of the Feldenkrais method course Aims of the thesis: The aim of this thesis was to deepen the theoretical knowledge of the Feldenkrais method, the basic anatomy of the cervical spine and the construction of the eye. Furthermore, the aim was to clarify the connection of eye movements and cervical spine, and define cervicoocular reflex, vestibuloocular reflex and whiplash syndrome. Then apply this knowledge and explain how one lesson of the Feldenkrais method affects the subjective perception of our own body, and how it can affect the magnitude of the cervical spine ranges. Method: It is a quantitative, experimental research. In the first part of the research, the questionnaire of own design monitored the effect of one lesson of the Feldenkrais method on the subjective perception of our own body in a group of 56 people aged 24 to 79 years, the lesson took part during a three-day course. In the second part of the research, the effect of one Feldenkrais method focused on the movement of eyes and cervical spine was studied in a group of 20 people aged 19 to 27 years. Data to this section was obtained based on input and output measurements using a measuring tape and a goniometer. In addition, a...

Title: Methods of secondary prevention of the pelvic floor after childbirth Objectives: This is a theoretical work with a descriptive-analytical part. It includes an analysis of the literature from available sources, an analysis of active approaches in the secondary prevention of the pelvic floor and the creation exercise unit for further research. Methods: Literature analysis including processing of information from available sources. Results: Handbook of pelvic floor training with methodical descriptions. Keywords: Pelvic girdle, pregnancy, gynecological weaknesses after childbirth, incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, sexual dysfunction, pelvic floor examination, Arnold Kegel method, Ludmila Mojžíšová method, Alexander method, Feldenkrais method, Cantienica, exercise unit