McKenzie Exercises for Back Pain
Back Extension Exercises
Robin McKenzie, a physical therapist in New Zealand, developed a protocol for the management of Spinal Pain in the 1960’s. Through his own experiences as a physiotherapist, he became aware that bending the spine backwards relieved certain patients of their back pain. As a result, this allowed them to return to their normal function quite quickly.
McKenzie investigated this phenomenon and developed it into an entire approach to spinal treatment. This approach is suitable for all areas of the lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine.
The McKenzie approach is based on reducing a patient’s pain by centralising it. In other words, it means bringing the pain from the arm or leg into the back or neck. This is achieved by a series of specific exercises, which are determined by the findings of a very thorough assessment. Once the pain is centralised, it can be further reduced by another series of exercises.
In Kilkenny Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic, our physiotherapists use the McKenzie Approach to treatment in conjunction with other treatment approaches. This enables us to bring your cycle of back and neck pain, or your acute episodes, to an end once and for all.
Once the acute bout of pain has settled, we will then look to treating any underlying issues that may also need to be addressed. This may include muscle imbalance, joint malalignment, or biomechanical issues. We may also recommend joining a Pilates class to help strengthen your core to reduce the risk or reoccurence.
