Today many people experience some form of back pain in their lifetime. So Following the McKenzie approach, often known as mechanical diagnosis and therapy, is one example. It contains a set of rules for assessing a person’s movement and exercises to enhance spinal mobility and posture. The McKenzie Method paradigm of care differs from all others. Each patient’s therapy is customized and defined by their presentation and exam findings elicited by this one-of-a-kind assessment process. The McKenzie exercise long-term goal is to teach patients with neck and or back pain how to self-treat and control pain by utilizing exercise and other techniques throughout their lives.

McKenzie’s back pain exercises consist of poses that gradually increase in difficulty. You might not be able to work through all steps right away if your back pain is particularly severe. Work through as many phases as you can in this scenario, progressing only until your pain decreases. The stages of McKenzie’s exercises are prone lying, flat laying while resting on elbows, prone push-ups, progressive extension using pillows, and standing extension. So here are some lists of Mckenzie’s exercises to follow:

•           Extension in standing

•           Extension in lying

•           Flexion in lying

•           Flexion in sitting

•           Flexion in standing

•           Lying face down in extension

These excellent McKenzie exercises realign any misplaced intervertebral discs while strengthening the surrounding muscles and tissues to prevent re-injury. While many of the motions and continued therapy can be made at home, it is critical to start with a foundation laid by a doctor to ensure good habits and a healthy end.

At ALIGN SPINE CENTER, Eric Lin, MD, and Raed Ali, MD are Board Certified, Fellowship Trained, Orthopaedic Spine Surgeons with Office Locations in Fullerton, CA, and Irvine, CA.  

Dr. Eric Lin, MD, and Dr. Raed Ali, MD recommend these exercises for patients