A case report - McKenzie method for a lumbar disc hernia patient who presented severe gait disturbance due to sciatica

Abstract

McKenzie method (MDT) is a system for assessment and treatment for musculoskeletal disorders developed by Robin McKenzie, PT in New Zealand. MDT was applied to a patient who was diagnosed as having lumbar disc hernia and presented severe gait disturbance due to sciatica. Although the patient presented many features of irreducible derangement in the initial evaluation, deliberate loading strategy following the principle of MDT resulted in remarkable improvement of gait and sciatica within 3 weeks, which was deemed to be a faster recovery than expected.