The effectiveness of McKenzie method compared to manual therapy for treating chronic low back pain: a systematic review

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the McKenzie method compared to manual therapy in the management of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Randomised controlled trials evaluating the McKenzie method in treating CLBP in adults compared to manual therapy (MT) were searched in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and PEDro. The primary outcomes were pain and disability. Five trials were eligible for inclusion in the review, of which, most had a score of 8 out of 11 on the PEDro scale. At 2-3 months, all studies reported significant improvement in the pain level in the McKenzie group, and more than that in the MT group. At 6 months, significant improvements had occurred in the disability index reported by two trials in the McKenzie group than the MT group. At 12 months follow-up, there were no significant differences in measures of LBP, but three studies reported that the McKenzie method group had a better disability level than the MT group. In patients with CLBP, many pain measures showed that the McKenzie method is a successful treatment to decrease pain in the short term, while the disability measures determined that the McKenzie method is better in enhancing function in the long term.