The MDT Method
Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) was founded by Robin McKenzie, a physiotherapist from New Zealand. Physical therapists worldwide can now receive standardized training in the McKenzie Method by taking courses provided by The McKenzie Institute. The basic principles are of observation and opposites. By understanding what MDT means, you’ll begin to understand why it’s the Physical Therapy Method that gets results.
Your physical therapist at Nick Rinard Physical Therapy treats “mechanical” pain caused by problems in the structure or movement of your body.
Severe pain can be caused by something as small as sitting incorrectly.
Mechanical assessment protocols performed by your physical therapist at Nick Rinard Physical Therapy have been proven as accurate as MRIs or X-rays for diagnosing patients.
The most important component of MDT Physical Therapy is a systematic series of tests used to make concrete diagnoses.
Your physical therapist at Nick Rinard Physical Therapy will never diagnose based on guesses or assumptions. Diagnosis is based on the evidence gathered while listening to your comments and observing your body reactions during evaluation.
At all times, your physical therapist at Nick Rinard Physical Therapy will make sure you understand the cause and effect of our actions so you can better understand your own mechanical behaviors.
A solid diagnosis provides a target for focused treatment.
Physical Therapists here at Nick Rinard Physical Therapy design custom treatments for each patient – most often a simple exercise performed regularly during the day.
Tougher cases may warrant more hands-on treatment from your Physical Therapist, up to and including “popping” a specific joint.
What’s important to remember is that no treatment is applied without a justifiable reason and a clear effect.