Forward and up at fifty

Atkinson relates how she lived for many years with the effects of a mild case of poliomyelis and how the Technique helped her. Polio caused her heels to be two inches off the ground in her childhood, and she describes how she adapted to this handicap. She underwent many treatments, surgery and an “iron boot”, and, later in life, osteopathy and gymnastics, among others. Atkinson observes that although the initial handicap became less severe, her habits which were formed in adapting to the handicap persisted and had deleterious effects on her condition and general health. At age 50 she started having lessons with F. M. Alexander in New York (possibly 1919), and she relates the many benefits she obtained. First published in 1943.