WHY CHOOSING THE McKENZIE METHOD

HOW EVERYTHING BEGAN
_______________

The McKenzie Method or Mechanichal Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) emerged just over half a century ago. The responsible was the New Zealander named Robin McKenzie. This distinguished Physical Therapist was born in 1931, in Auckland and graduated in Physical Therapy in 1952. In the mid-1950s, through observations and clinical studies, he began to describe the phenomenon later called Centralization.

Mr. Smith was a country man. One day he arrived at the McKenzie’s Clinic with a lot of pain in his right thigh. Such a pain has been present for a few days and did not stop. Robin left him waiting in his office, but he did not notice that this patient was lying face down on an examination table, which had it’s front part raised.

When Robin came back, he got astonished because of the position in which his patient was in. He remained calm and asked Mr. Smith to stand up. To their surprise, Mr. Smith had no thigh pain. Robin asked him to walk around the room and, admired, the patient said: “I don’t feel any pain in my thigh!” Now he had pain only on his back.

Robin observed, thought for a while and finally asked Mr. Smith to go back home and do more of that position overnight. After a few more days, the patient had no more pain and he had completely restored his mobility, his walking function, being able to work at his farm, bend and squat without pain.

From that moment on, Robin has experimented this procedure with other patients. He also found out that other movements or positions had diferent effects over other types of symptoms, so he began to register what happened. This way, the whole process has started around what is today this system called “Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy” – MDT and that until nowadays developes and improves.

HOW DOES THE McKENZIE METHOD WORK?
_______________

MDT consists first of the patient’s evaluation, observing the behavior of their symptoms, through tests of positions or movements. The main goal is to understand how does the pain or other symptoms are produced or increased and how can they be treated permanently, whenever it’s possible.

Through observation of the results in the Physical Exam, the Physiotherapist specialized in MDT is able to classify the patient and therefore to determine which will be their specific treatment, as well as what will be their average expectation of time to improve. Therefore they can also adjust their expectations with their real scenario. This evaluation system is the only, today, capable of predicting patients’ prognosis.

The McKenzie Method covers such a detailed evaluation protocol that it is able to collect much more information than imaging exams (they’re mostly done in static positions) and thereby determine which will be the most suitable treatment.

Each patient will have a specific exercise, according to the history and the answer they presented during the physical assessment. This also differentiates the Method from other evaluation systems, in Medical or Physical Tharapy field. Joining those features, there is a system which involves evaluation, diagnosis and mechanical therapy, that make the McKenzie Method approach each individual in a complete and unique way.

MY CHOICE
_______________

When it comes to solutions and decisions over my patients problems I choose to work with this Method, because with it’s knowledge and my clinical experience, I’m capable of offering them relevant information, safety and efficacy. This is very important to reassure and orientate them under an individualized approach, presenting them the best path to follow.

Treatment happens through the partnership my patient and I build together, so that they first understand the cause of their symptoms so then they will be able to treat themselves, with autonomy and independence.