McKenzie method
Encyclopedia
The McKenzie method is a comprehensive method of care primarily used in physical therapy
.
New Zealand
physical therapist Robin McKenzie (born 1931) developed the method in the late 50s. In 1981 he launched the concept which he called Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) - a system encompassing assessment (evaluation), diagnosis
and treatment
for the spine
and extremities
. MDT categorizes patients' complaints not on an anatomical basis, but subgroups them by the clinical presentation of patients.
The method is now taught worldwide.
procedures, with the McKenzie trained therapist supporting the patient with passive procedures only if an individual self treatment program is not fully effective.
McKenzie states that self treatment is the best way to achieve a lasting improvement of back pain
and neck pain
.
. When centralization is present, pain in an extremity moves sequentially back to the spine. There it can be felt more intensely. If pain centralizes, this is a positive prognostic sign and the detected directional preference guides further treatment. Clinical research
demonstrates reliability
of the McKenzie Evaluation.
of clinical trials in 2006, treatment utilising the McKenzie method is somewhat effective for acute low back pain, but the evidence suggests that it is not effective for chronic low-back pain.
There have been clinical trials since then, and trials prior to 2006 which may or may not have been included in the meta-analysis.
There have also been other reviews of the literature.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
.
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
physical therapist Robin McKenzie (born 1931) developed the method in the late 50s. In 1981 he launched the concept which he called Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) - a system encompassing assessment (evaluation), diagnosis
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines with variations in the use of logics, analytics, and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships...
and treatment
Therapy
This is a list of types of therapy .* Adventure therapy* Animal-assisted therapy* Aquatic therapy* Aromatherapy* Art and dementia* Art therapy* Authentic Movement* Behavioral therapy* Bibliotherapy* Buteyko Method* Chemotherapy...
for the spine
Vertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
and extremities
Extremities
Extremities may refer to:* Extremities , a play by William Mastrosimone* Extremities , a film based on the play* limbs of the body, in medical terminology...
. MDT categorizes patients' complaints not on an anatomical basis, but subgroups them by the clinical presentation of patients.
The method is now taught worldwide.
Strategy
MDT uses primarily self treatment strategies, and minimises manual therapyManual therapy
Manual therapy, manipulative therapy, or manual & manipulative therapy is a physical treatment primarily used by physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths to treat musculoskeletal pain and disability; it most commonly includes massage therapy, joint mobilization and joint...
procedures, with the McKenzie trained therapist supporting the patient with passive procedures only if an individual self treatment program is not fully effective.
McKenzie states that self treatment is the best way to achieve a lasting improvement of back pain
Back pain
Back pain is pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine.The pain can often be divided into neck pain, upper back pain, lower back pain or tailbone pain...
and neck pain
Neck pain
Neck pain is a common problem, with two-thirds of the population having neck pain at some point in their lives.Neck pain, although felt in the neck, can be caused by numerous other spinal problems. Neck pain may arise due to muscular tightness in both the neck and upper back, or pinching of the...
.
Diagnostic procedure
In this context, centralization of pain during evaluation and treatment is a phenomenon of diagnostic relevanceRelevance
-Introduction:The concept of relevance is studied in many different fields, including cognitive sciences, logic and library and information science. Most fundamentally, however, it is studied in epistemology...
. When centralization is present, pain in an extremity moves sequentially back to the spine. There it can be felt more intensely. If pain centralizes, this is a positive prognostic sign and the detected directional preference guides further treatment. Clinical research
Clinical research
Clinical research is a branch of medical science that determines the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use...
demonstrates reliability
Reliability
In general, reliability is the ability of a person or system to perform and maintain its functions in routine circumstances, as well as hostile or unexpected circumstances.Reliability may refer to:...
of the McKenzie Evaluation.
Effectiveness
According to a meta-analysisMeta-analysis
In statistics, a meta-analysis combines the results of several studies that address a set of related research hypotheses. In its simplest form, this is normally by identification of a common measure of effect size, for which a weighted average might be the output of a meta-analyses. Here the...
of clinical trials in 2006, treatment utilising the McKenzie method is somewhat effective for acute low back pain, but the evidence suggests that it is not effective for chronic low-back pain.
There have been clinical trials since then, and trials prior to 2006 which may or may not have been included in the meta-analysis.
There have also been other reviews of the literature.