The McKenzie Method

Treating Back Pain with the McKenzie Method

Are you currently experiencing lower back pain that prevents you from moving freely?

If only there were a magic exercise that could solve your problem!

To help relieve your symptoms, you may perform a series of 10 repetitions of a specific exercise.

 

Which exercise is it?

Based on the evaluation of your condition, a physiotherapist will guide you toward the appropriate exercise.

Often, a single exercise can help resolve the problem. For example, it may involve a variation of lumbar extension (leaning backward). When symptoms are very intense, the exercise may need to be performed on the floor. This approach to treating lower back problems is known as the McKenzie Method.

If there were one exercise approach to choose, it would likely come from the McKenzie Method.

 

What is the McKenzie Method?

The McKenzie Method is a physiotherapy approach used to assess and treat musculoskeletal pain. It provides a conceptual framework that allows clinicians to categorize a problem in order to determine the most appropriate treatment plan. In general, pain is considered “mechanical” when there has been no trauma explaining its onset. A sudden movement, repetitive motions or poor posture are common causes of mechanical musculoskeletal pain.

A McKenzie assessment identifies movements that aggravate pain as well as those that relieve it. When a specific movement direction reduces pain, it is referred to as a directional preference. By identifying this preferred direction and determining the appropriate dosage of exercise, a therapist trained in the McKenzie Method can personalize your treatment plan.

By performing the exercises recommended by the physiotherapist, patients are often able to relieve their pain independently. Regardless of the diagnosis, musculoskeletal pain can generally be categorized, and a certified McKenzie therapist can guide you through your recovery.

 

Examples of conditions and body regions treated with the McKenzie approach:

• Sciatica (sciatic nerve pain)
• Cervicobrachialgia (neck pain radiating into the arm)
• Low back pain (acute or chronic)
• Disc herniation (lumbar or cervical)
• Spinal stenosis
• Tendinitis
• Sacroiliac dysfunction
• Osteoarthritis

 

What does a treatment session involve?

During a session, the physiotherapist begins with an interview to listen to and understand your problem. Next, a physical evaluation is performed to observe and measure the movement of the affected region in order to identify the key issues and establish a physiotherapy diagnosis. Finally, treatment is provided through exercises or, if necessary, manual therapy to help relieve pain. The patient then leaves with exercises to perform at home until the next appointment.

 

Where can you find a certified therapist?

Boisbriand:

https://www.evolutionphysio.com/cliniques/clinique-boisbriand-rive-nord/

Blainville:

https://www.evolutionphysio.com/cliniques/clinique-blainville-rive-nord/

 

Useful links

https://www.mckenzieinstitutecanada.org/method-patients.cfm

https://www.mckenzieinstitutecanada.org/qualified-providers.cfm# (find a clinician)