The McKenzie Method for the Management of Acute Non-specific Low Back Pain: Design of a Randomised Controlled Trial [ACTRN012605000032651]

Overview

Journal BMC Musculoskelet Disord

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Orthopedics
Physiology

Date 2005 Oct 14

PMID 16221311

Citations 3

Authors

Luciana A C Machado

Chris G Maher

Rob D Herbert

Helen Clare

James McAuley

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a major health problem. Effective treatment of acute LBP is important because it prevents patients from developing chronic LBP, the stage of LBP that requires costly and more complex treatment. Physiotherapists commonly use a system of diagnosis and exercise prescription called the McKenzie Method to manage patients with LBP. However, there is insufficient evidence to support the use of the McKenzie Method for these patients. We have designed a randomised controlled trial to evaluate whether the addition of the McKenzie Method to general practitioner care results in better outcomes than general practitioner care alone for patients with acute LBP.

Methods/design: This paper describes the protocol for a trial examining the effects of the McKenzie Method in the treatment of acute non-specific LBP. One hundred and forty eight participants who present to general medical practitioners with a new episode of acute non-specific LBP will be randomised to receive general practitioner care or general practitioner care plus a program of care based on the McKenzie Method. The primary outcomes are average pain during week 1, pain at week 1 and 3 and global perceived effect at week 3.

Discussion: This trial will provide the first rigorous test of the effectiveness of the McKenzie Method for acute non-specific LBP.

Citing Articles

The McKenzie method for (sub)acute non-specific low back pain.

Almeida M, Garcia A, Menezes Costa L, Van Tulder M, Lin C, Machado L Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023; 4:CD009711.

PMID: 37017272 PMC: 10076480. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009711.pub2.

Can we predict response to the McKenzie method in patients with acute low back pain? A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Sheets C, Machado L, Hancock M, Maher C Eur Spine J. 2011; 21(7):1250-6.

PMID: 22109566 PMC: 3389098. DOI: 10.1007/s00586-011-2082-1.

The effectiveness of the McKenzie method in addition to first-line care for acute low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Machado L, Maher C, Herbert R, Clare H, McAuley J BMC Med. 2010; 8:10.

PMID: 20102596 PMC: 2842230. DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-8-10.

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