Mechanical Diagnosis & Treatment of the Spine: A Look at the Mckenzie Method

Presented by Marsha Wykes, PT, OCS, Cert MDT

Clinical Director at Cioffredi & Associates Physical Therapy. Marsha graduated with a degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Minnesota in 1995. She is an APTA Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) and is certified through the McKenzie Institute USA in Mechanical diagnosis and treatment of the spine. Marsha has focused her work primarily in outpatient orthopedics with an emphasis on sports and spine injuries and post-surgical rehabilitation.

[JohnPandolfo]

McKenzie proved chiropractic treatment should be your first stop when dealing with back pain. She just perfectly explained how chiropractors treat low back pain. It’s all about position of spine and strength of muscles

[marshawykes]

Tommy- The McKenzie approach can be used for non-radicular symptoms as well! It is one approach among many that we use, and it benefits many people! I'm glad you also have an approach you find success with since different techniques work for different patients!

[chandershekhar.]

Good and very nice session .useful session so thank so much madam share knowledge

[guyterry]

Good overview! I have inservices I did back in the 90s for a clinic I worked in, but it's better for her to be able to put new research information together with the paper notes.

[frankebert]

Thanks from Germany for sharing your knowledge.

[sarahwalton]

I had a severe episode of lower backpain approximately 6 months ago after over extending my back which resulted in sciatic pain radiating down both legs. It slowly got better but has now returned, albeit not as severe, including constant aching of the lower back and pain/stiffness in the upper buttock. After watching this video (which btw is extremely informative) I have several questions which I was hoping you could answer:

1. It seems that part of the methodd involves patients learning how to self heal. What might the self healing process look like and is it easy to apply in a practical way to everyday life. For instance, if the pain was exacerbated by the type of work a person does can the pain really be treated? Likewise, (roughly) how frequently and do the extension exercises need to take place and how much time would each last?

2. If the pain is centralized through this method, does this mean that other treatments would be required unilaterally to remove what is causing the symptoms/pain?

3. Can exercises to strengthen the core muscles help with the healing process or is it advisable to avoid exercise when there is pain?

[onlinevoice]

Is this method used in physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment? It seems to be used by both, yet chiropractic is not recognised as a treatment in some countries' gov. Why?

[Blackjack-rsvs]

Once the pain is centralized what is the next step to heal permanently? Should continue to do mckenzie exercises?
Thank you so much for this educational presentation.

[MB]

The patient never said he didn't have no pain in his back for the first time in 3 months. He said the pain moved from the leg back to the back where it first started months ago. A big difference than what you said that the patient felt no pain at all (in the leg or back) after laying down. Laying that way seemed to show progress toward reversing the pain where it start thus progression NOT total alleviation of both back and leg pain like the woman said in this presentation. She's seemed to have memorized her whole presentation but memorized it wrongly. She's literally just repeating the exact presentation the mckenzie guy gives.

[mayuridalia]

Will McKenzie technique would work for tingling in the legs

I have tingling mostly in my right leg and pain on the right side of my calf
Sometimes I also have tingling in my left leg

[caolanmaher]

can the mckenzie method help with si joint pain?? am in desperate need.

[suzandonahue]

Is the McKenzie technique helpful for bulging discs

[NaturalBeauty-ylze]

I get some knowledge hows mine described, normal xray, pain in the cervical, lumbar it's permanent and pain in the legs under buttocks it occurs with over walking, standing, lifting, sleeping, what could this be described as

[GarzaB]

+CioffrediPT Thank you so much for this video! I am still confused about which cases can be treated. I have an "extruded disc" that has been reduced in size as well. As a result the sciatic nerve is inflamed and I feel pain all the way to my right foot with some mild numbness. I'd love to hear your opinion about this. Thank you!

[JohnPandolfo]

What if the patient has a spondylitis??

[debanjanmondalphysio]

Is mckenzie technique helpful for spinal canal stenosis?
Please let me know.

[tommyharris]

Mckenzie exercises only work if you have at least 70% of your disc height remaining. Any less and they simply cannot work. Also, it's Mr Smith, not Mr Jones!