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Highlights of Therapy at SOS Physical Therapy

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• We spend individual time with you every session to ensure that you are progressing

• You see the same therapist every session

• The McKenzie approach is based on exercise and teaching correct posture

• We use manual therapy to supplement/speed your approach to the exercise

• The McKenzie Method is not a massage based approach

• We minimize use of passive modalities such as ultrasound and electric stimulation, because they have not been shown to provide any lasting relief

 

The McKenzie Method was first developed by a physical therapist from New Zealand, Robin McKenzie.  Robin McKenzie came up with a very specific way to assess musculoskeletal conditions to figure out what movement will make the pain go away, or the strength improve.   After assessing many patients, he realized that the most effective way to resolve the problem was by assessing the pain response to movement, to determine a mechanical pattern. 

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Your medical diagnosis (herniated disc, bulge disc, stenosis, tendonitis, meniscal tear, torn rotator cuff) does not necessarily predict what exercise you need to get better.  This is why it is often not effective to look up exercises on the internet and uniformly apply them based on the diagnosis you have been given.  Maybe you have been given many possible reasons for the pain by different medical practitioners.  We believe assessing your response to movement is really the only way to determine which exercises are right for you.

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There is a specific training program that therapists need to go through to become skilled at the McKenzie Method. Some therapists use a little of the method, but not completely as it is intended. At SOS Physical Therapy, we have the highest training available in this method. We practice the method as intended, as we have found it to be the most effective way to help our patients. 

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We participate in a weekly national grand round discussion of challenging patients. If your condition is not resolving as quickly as expected, we have a team of the most highly trained therapists in the country at our disposal to provide input.

 

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