Mckenzie Method

Practitioners and patients have relied upon the Mckenzie Method of treatment for more than 30 years for the treatment of the neck, back and extremities. This comprehensive treatment approach involves the use of a step-by-step assessment of the patient's problem and from there, an appropriate treatment plan is developed. Research suggests the Mckenzie Method treatment approach is as effective as the more expensive and time-consuming diagnostic tests.

The Mckenzie Method is also referred to as Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy and what makes this method stand out from other physical therapy techniques is the safe and reliable assessment process. Once a proper diagnosis is made, a personalized treatment plan will be developed. A patient will know immediately if the treatment will work based on the step-by-step framework and problem-solving algorithm. Another added benefit is that the need for expensive and time-consuming tests is eliminated.

The Mckenzie Method treatment approach is good for the patient because it allows the patient to be an active participant in the treatment plan. The patient receives ongoing education regarding their treatment which allows them to be in control of their symptom-management. This results in a decreased dependency on medical intervention.

The idea behind the Mckenzie Method is to reduce reliance upon any kind of medical intervention such as hot/cold treatment, medication, needles, ultrasound or surgery. It promotes the body's power to heal without the aforementioned.

The Mckenzie Method of treatment involves three steps. The first step is the assessment. This process allows the therapist to classify the condition by pain intensity, location of the pain and movement restrictions. The second step is to treat the condition. The patient learns individualized exercises which they will ultimately perform on their own, reducing the number of visits to the clinic. Prevention is the third step in the process. Because a patient is educated on how to self-treat, they will be able to practice exercises to reduce the chance of recurrence and can minimize the pain if recurrence does happen.