The McKenzie System:
The McKenzie system of management of spinal and musculo-skeletal
disorders was
developed by New Zealand physiotherapist Robin McKenzie. Full documentation
of the system can be obtained in Robin McKenzie's 3 textbooks which
cover assessment and treatment of the lumbar spine, cervical spine
and the extremities. In addition, McKenzie has written two information texts for the patient, "Treat
Your Own Back" and" Treat Your Own Neck." These books
have been translated into a dozen languages and have sold over 4
million copies.
In 2001, a paper was presented at the International Society for
the Study of the Lumbar Spine which demonstrated that patients with
chronic recurrent low back pain were able to achieve significant
reduction in their pain over a 5 year period. The patients had no
interventions aside from reading "Treat Your Own Back".
The McKenzie system of assessment and treatment has been extensively
researched. In 1997, the Danish Health Department published a position
paper on spinal pain following an extensive review of appropriately
designed medical studies. They concluded that the McKenzie assessment
was recommended for all spinal disorders and that the treatment
principles were recommended for particular spinal conditions.
For more on the research literature go to www.mckenziemdt.org
The essence of the system is to teach the patients to treat their
own mechanical musculo-skeletal problems through education and a
symptom specific exercise programme. Treatment is based on a partnership
in rehabilitation between patient and therapist.
Benefits of the McKenzie system:
- Prompt outcome assessment: It is usually possible to predict
treatment benefits within 1-2 visits.
- Good accuracy of assessment data: Published peer review studies
have demonstrated that assessment conclusions compare favourably
with the findings from CT scans and discograms.
- The promotion of patient self reliance. Patients are informed
about the cause of their pain and given specific information to
manage their symptoms. This reduces their dependance upon care-providers
over the long term and gives them the tools to take responsibility
for their own health.
- Efficient use of medical services: Encouraging active patient
participation reduces the number of treatment visits required.
Typically, 3 to 5 therapy sessions are required over a period
of 3-4 weeks.
- Recommendations are provided as to ongoing management. The initial
assessment determines the patient's appropriateness for this kind
of intervention. Should mechanical therapy not be indicated, the
assessment provides information on what further kinds of intervention
or investigation may be appropriate.
Appropriate Patients:
- Those with acute or chronic musculo-skeletal pain
- Those with sciatica or brachialgia for whom you are considering
CT or MRI
- Patients who have failed to improve with previous treatment
- Patients who are motivated to participate in their own recovery.
Questions?
For more information on the McKenzie approach click on www.mckenziemdt.org.
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