McKENZIE METHOD

The McKenzie Method is a philosophy of active patient involvement and education that is trusted and used by practitioners and patients all over the world for back, neck, and extremity problems. Its focus is to empower patients to treat themselves. There are 3 stages in the treatment programme.

1) Assessment
The assessment protocol is unique to the McKenzie Method. It begins with the gathering of a thorough history, followed by testing of movements to identify distinct patterns of pain response. These guide the clinician in classifying the patient into distinct treatment groups.

2) Treatment
Using the information from the assessment, the clinician prescribes specific exercises and postures to form an individualized treatment plan. The patients are empowered to treat themselves.

3) Prevention
The exercises which helped to resolve the problem can be adapted to help prevent its return.

The McKenzie Institute

The McKenzie Institute is an international research and educational organization that was formed by Robin McKenzie to further the development of his rehabilitation philosophy. There are branches in over thirty countries around the world to meet the growing demand for knowledge by both clinicians and their patients.

McKenzie Certified Clinics

There are currently only four clinics in Canada that are certified by the McKenzie Institute as specialized treatment centres and patients attending such clinics are guaranteed to receive treatment by the McKenzie Method in its purest form. Colin Davies’ clinic is the only such clinic in British Columbia. Unfortunately, many who claim to "do McKenzie" merely use a few exercises as a modality along with other treatments. Without proper assessment, the results are often disappointing.

The McKenzie Method - Did You Know?

• Research has shown that the McKenzie assessment is as reliable as CT scans and MRI’s in determining the source of the patient’s pain and the potential for recovery but only when a properly trained clinician performs it.
   
• Many musculoskeletal problems can be rapidly reversed if they are properly assessed.
   
• 50-70% of people with low back and leg pain rapidly improve when they are given the correct treatment.
   
• Rapid responders often include patients who have not benefited from other treatments. They can be identified in 1-2 visits.
   
• The McKenzie Method is the most researched physiotherapy treatment system.