Evaluation and Treatment of McKenzie Method: Lumbar Spine

McKenzie Method

Kyle Winters, DPT, Clinic Manager of our Columbia, IL, clinic attended a course in the above topic in Libertyville, IL on July 19-21, 2019. In this course, he learned a systematic and directional approach to treating disorders of the lumbar spine. It involves using the history of the episode or episodes, looking at the daily movements of the patient, eliminating red flags, and putting them through repeated movement tests to come up with a proper mechanical diagnosis and treatment plan. Kyle learned that you can treat a patient properly without even needing to push and prod with a bunch of manual treatments. 50-90% of patients are grouped into the ‘Derangement’ category with the hallmark sign that their pain is variable or frequently changing. This diagnosis has the most positive prognosis. The other classifications are ‘Dysfunction’, ‘Postural’, and ‘Other’. Each classification has its own treatment plan, which may be as simple as one exercise performed frequently at the beginning of therapy and then progression to return of function as they progress. Another common theme of the McKenzie Method is constantly reassessing each patient at every session. This way you know how you need to progress, regress, or continue with the current plan. Kyle plans to implement this method in all of his lumbar patients and looks forward to attending the other McKenzie courses to obtain his certification in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT).