Mckenzie, Maitland, and Paris Approaches to Therapy
Mckenzie, Maitland, and Paris Approaches
Due to the vast success of the McKenzie Method, it isn’t surprising that it is accepted as the most research-tested approach across the globe. Our physical therapists are trained to examine and diagnose musculoskeletal issues, and the McKenzie Method is a strong tool for helping determine a diagnosis. The method works by using a progression of mechanical forces to examine both the mechanical changes in the patient’s body, as well as any symptoms. This then classifies the patient into a spinal or extremity category, and the correct treatment plan can then be created with proper exercises, manual techniques, and patient education.
One of the most beneficial aspects of physical therapy is patient involvement and education. The McKenzie Method highly encourages both of these aspects, in order for you to better understand how our specialized treatment services are helping to achieve your goals. An important feature of the McKenzie Method is the initial assessment that allows physical therapists to reach a safe, reliable, and accurate diagnosis before creating a treatment plan. This also helps in making sure that both the therapist and yourself are on the same page from the very beginning.
The Maitland-Australian Approach intentionally gently provokes the patient’s actual symptoms using carefully graded osteokinematic (physiological) and arthrokinematic (accessory) passive mobilization. This approach is recognized worldwide as an efficient, safe, and gentle way to evaluate and treat an orthopedic patient to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, restore movement, and maximize function.
Pioneered in the 1950s by the legendary Australian Physiotherapist Geoffrey Maitland, it has continued to evolve over the years with groundbreaking concepts such as Irritability, Neurodynamics, Combined Movements, Stabilization Training, and Advanced Clinical Reasoning with supporting Evidence-Based Medicine research.
Paris Techniques are manual therapies perfected by Dr. Stanley Paris. His primary teachings are focused on restoring joint mobility. His techniques focus on finding where accessory joint mobility is limited and then restoring that mobility with precise joint-specific mobilization techniques. These techniques are particularly useful in restoring balance to the mechanical or joint structures of the body. They are used to give more immediate relief from malalignments causing compression of joint and nerve impinged areas such as the spine. Paris techniques are direct techniques used to release or balance joint and soft tissue restrictions.
