Herniated Discs May Respond To McKenzie Physical Therapy
Conservative treatment should always be the first port of call when someone has a herniated disc causing either back and leg pain or sciatica. There are many forms of physical therapy (or physiotherapy) but one that is established, well-researched and proven is called the McKenzie Method or McKenzie Care.
It was developed by New Zealand Physiotherapist Robin McKenzie in the 1950's. Robin was treating a patient called Mr Smith. Mr Smith laid face down on a treatment table that had been left elevated from the previous patient. This meant Mr Smith had his back in an arched position which in the 1950's was thought to be a dangerous position for people suffering back pain or herniated discs.
Anyway, Mr Smith improved rapidly in this position with all his leg pain rapidly reducing with only pain experienced in the centre of his back. This phenomenon is now called centralisation and is associated with a good outcome and means the patients will recover quickly. Research has shown centralisation is associated with pain from disc herniation or disruption. McKenzie therapists have undertaken extra post-graduate training provided by the McKenzie Institute International. The institute's website has a world-wide list of trained McKenzie therapists. However, many patients recover from their herniated disc pain just by reading Robin's book "Treat Your Own Back." See below to view McKenzie's books.