Mckenzie method and pain of axial body

The Mckenzie Method is widely known in the world of physiotherapy for its use in the treatment of spinal disorders. However, its use is far more extensive. It has also been used with success in the treatment of shoulder, knee or hip joint pain and so on.

A sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise can take its toll on many parts of our musculoskeletal system. Usually it is the spine that gets the brunt of it, but pain from prolonged sitting can also be felt in other parts of the body. Have you ever sat for so long at work that your knees hurt and you had trouble pushing them out again? On the other hand, excessive movement of the limbs in one direction can be a problem. Shoulder pain caused, for example, by window cleaning, crafting or inadequate exercise are also reasons why people seek the help of a physiotherapist.

Pain in the shoulders, hips or knees naturally leads us to focus treatment on these joints, but often the pain felt in these joints is just a transferred pain from the spine, which the patient may not be aware of. Pain felt in the shoulder may have a cause in the cervical spine and pain in the hip or knee may have a cause in the lumbar spine. In order to achieve a therapeutic effect, it is essential to know the cause of the problems and then address it.

The therapeutic effect of the Mckenzie method is based on the principle that the underlying cause of spinal and joint pain is mechanical in nature and can be resolved in a mechanical way. Using targeted diagnostic procedures, we can determine whether a patient experiencing pain in, for example, the shoulder, actually has shoulder problems or whether the cause of his pain is in the spine. After ruling out a possible cause originating in the spine, we focus on the problem joint. After examining the joint, its active and passive ranges, the problem is then evaluated and treatment is set up. Usually one exercise is enough, dosed at a certain intensity and frequency to achieve a reduction in soreness and an increase in range of motion. Last but not least, education on posture correction is also essential to speed up the healing process.

As with the spine, we mainly use self-therapy techniques for the joints so that the patient becomes independent of the therapist and fully involved in his/her treatment. During treatment, the patient is encouraged to gradually return to activities that they have had to avoid due to pain. To fully recover and prevent subsequent recurrences, it is of course essential that the patient understands the importance of correcting correct posture and fully incorporating physical activities into his/her life.

Bc. Martin Benko