Chronic low back pain (LBP) affects millions worldwide, driving a persistent search for more effective treatments. A recent study highlights a promising new approach that combines the McKenzie method with Muscle Energy Technique (MET) to enhance spine function in patients suffering from chronic LBP.

In 2015, the research conducted by a team of scientists led by Paweł Szulc and Michał Wendt, involved 60 participants, both men and women, with an average age of 44 years. These individuals were randomly assigned to one of three therapeutic groups: one receiving a combination of the McKenzie method and MET, another treated with the McKenzie method alone, and a third group undergoing standard physiotherapy. The study aimed to evaluate which treatment modality offered the best results in improving spine function, reducing pain, and alleviating spinal disc issues.

Participants underwent a comprehensive assessment, including measuring spinal movement, pain levels, and spinal disc structure, using advanced tools such as electrogoniometry, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Revised Oswestry Pain Questionnaire, and MRI scans. These evaluations were conducted before the intervention, immediately after, and again three months later.

The findings were striking. The group treated with the combined McKenzie method and MET experienced the most significant improvements. Spinal mobility across the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions approached or even surpassed normative levels, with normalizations reaching 87.1%, 66.7%, and 95%, respectively. Disability and pain levels, as measured by the Oswestry Disability Index and VAS, significantly decreased, and there was a marked reduction in the size of spinal disc herniations.

These results suggest that integrating the McKenzie method with MET could represent a breakthrough in treating chronic LBP. The study’s authors emphasize that this combined approach offers a more effective treatment option than either the McKenzie method alone or standard physiotherapy. This holistic treatment strategy could potentially transform the management of chronic low back pain, offering hope to countless individuals struggling with this debilitating condition.

As the incidence of chronic low back pain continues to rise, this study underscores the importance of innovative, integrated therapeutic approaches. The success of the McKenzie method enriched by MET opens the door to new possibilities in spine care, providing a compelling case for its wider adoption in clinical practice.

Reference: Szulc, P., Wendt, M., Waszak, M., Tomczak, M., Cieślik, K., & Trzaska, T. (2015). Impact of McKenzie method therapy enriched by muscular energy techniques on subjective and objective parameters related to spine function in patients with chronic low back pain. Medical science monitor: international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 21, 2918.