Research supports the method
There are decades of clinical experience and research behind these exercises: how to do them, in what order to do them, how often to do them.
Research findings presented in Adelaide, Australia, in April 2000 are as important as any research ever done on the McKenzie Method. This research was presented to the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine. It reported on a study of patients who had suffered from back pain for an average of 10.4 years. They had seen an average of 2.5 health care providers before entering the study.
As an abstract of the study says, “this is a dissertation-based investigation of the impact of reading a specific booklet on the LBP [low back pain] and self-treatment behaviour of volunteer chronic symptomatic subjects.” These subjects were not treated by doctors, physical therapists, or anybody else. They were treated only by themselves, and the only information they had was a “booklet.” In fact, the “booklet” was a detailed description of the McKenzie Method, demonstrating the exercises and posture control found in the book you are reading.
One week after reading the booklet, 86 percent were confident they could treat their own pain effec-tively. Eighty-five percent said they would use the booklet as a reference and would also use it to “self-treat” in the event of an acute episode and to prevent pain in the future.
Fifty-two percent reported reduced pain in the first week. Once the subjects had used the booklet for nine months, 87 percent were still regularly using the exercises in the booklet and 91 percent were still focusing on good posture.
Most important, at nine months, 82 percent had less back pain and 60 percent were completely free of pain. Ninety-five percent said the booklet was responsible for their improvement.
At the beginning of the study, subjects reported pain that averaged 1.3 on a scale of 4. At nine months, subjects reported pain that averaged only 0.44 on the same scale.
At the start, subjects reported an average of 4.1 episodes of back pain per year. After reading the booklet, they averaged just 1.0 episode per year. (Undermann, B. et al.: “Can an Educational Booklet Change Behavior and Pain in Chronic Low Back Patients?” International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine; 2000; Adelaide, Australia.)
These subjects did well because they carefully followed the instructions in the booklet. Similarly, you will do well if you carefully follow the instructions in this book. I want you to benefit as much as possible from the exercises and posture control. Don’t get in the way of your own recovery!
