Do you suffer from low back pain…?
• Do you have pain in your buttocks, upper or lower leg?
• Are there times during the day when you are pain free, even just for 5mins?
• Does the pain appear for no reason at all?
• Have you had several episodes of low back pain over the last months or years?
• Do you spend a lot of time sitting in a slouched position?
• Do you bend over a lot in a day?
• Do you have pain when you rise from a seated position?
• Does the pain ease off a bit when you are moving around?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, then I have good news for you!
A large majority of my clients have low back pain, so recently I undertook some training in Mechanical Diagnoses and Therapy (MDT). This involved studying for a theory exam and then participation in a three-day postgraduate programme, specifically for the Lumbar Spine. Later this month I am undertaking four days of training for the Advanced Lumbar Spine and Lower Extremities.
I hear you ask…what is MDT? (https://mckenzieinstitute.org/patients/what-is-the-mckenzie-method/). Robin McKenzie, from New Zealand, created an internationally acclaimed, comprehensive assessment and management approach, for musculoskeletal disorders. This system has been widely scrutinised and researched and has been used for over 60 years. It fits perfectly with Insite Therapy’s concept of giving clients the knowledge and tools to treat themselves. MDT is based on sound and logical principles, is simple to use, and effective for recovery of desired levels of function.
The following are some of the key features of the system;
• A thorough history gathered to place clients into one of four classifications, enabling clear treatment management, specific to home and work needs
• Client education, independence, self-management, and self-reliance. The client is an active participant, and can treat themselves, (initially under the guidance of the clinician) which leads to self-treating future episodes and less need for external treatment
• Centralisation is a major focus of MDT. Referred pain will move from the distal point in location and centralise to the source of the issue – the lumbar spine. This process can occur rapidly, and once pain is centralised, the prognosis is good, and pain is able to be abolished altogether.
• Different movement directions are used to treat the back. A client’s beneficial directional preference is found, and this will be the direction of movement that causes pain symptoms to move centrally (centralisation).
The following are testimonials from some of my recently treated clients;
‘I have been receiving advice and treatment from Tanya regarding an ongoing on and off lower back and muscle injury. Through Tanya's knowledge of MDT - Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, and her expertise and passion for aiding individual’s recovery, she has spent a considerable amount of time with me to find out what could be causing my issue. She carefully put me through various exercises and movements to see what activated the pain, methodically taking notes, asking relevant questions and taking notice of what was going on mechanically. She explained herself thoroughly and the process very clearly and then advised me on rehab exercises to do over the next few days and to check in to give her an update as to what was going on.
For years now I have been stretching out this particular issue the wrong way and firmly believe that the time and exercises Tanya has given me has assisted my injury and I am now pain free - of course it only works if you actually do the exercises and rehab you have been advised to do - to which I have and do. I find Tanya incredibly passionate about what she does and how she works with MDT.’
Sarah Coales
‘After injuring my back in a work incident over 30 years ago I was finding my mobility was more and more limited. In my 50s I was having difficulty putting on shoes and socks and reaching down to pick things up from the floor. Having treated my back with care since my injury years ago, all I could do was put this down to getting older.
Tanya quickly identified the cause of my discomfort – a ‘deranged spine’. The good news is that this isn’t as terrible as it sounds, and more importantly it’s treatable! She quickly and accurately located the source and nature of the problem and set me a prescription of exercises to remedy the situation. Within a few weeks I was enjoying increased mobility and less pain.
While my condition is treatable and can be improved, it's not completely reversible. But the exercises Tanya taught me allow me to manage back pain and build flexibility. I'm finding it easier to move and am sleeping better. If you’re experiencing pain and mobility issues, I would definitely recommend a consultation with Tanya.’
Mike Henden
‘I sought the help of Tanya for some localised bilateral hip pain that had been bothering me for some months. Additionally, I had some lower back pain which had been lingering & I just put down to the nature of my job. Unfortunately, my accumulative attitude of trying to ignore it, willing it to go away and just carrying on normally weren’t working. People around me were mentioning that I was walking with a limp and to be honest I was secretly very aware of this. Tanya assessed my specific concerns and then spent some time instructing me on exercises that may help to reduce the pain. These daily exercises provided positive results within a few days and have now become a part of my daily regime. I am pain free!’
Maggie McIndoe
