Posted January 5th, 2021 by Kathy Decker & filed under Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT).

How is MDT different

Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy is a classification system that helps guide a clinician through a series of questions and testing in order to better understand the behavior of their patient’s condition, pain, etc. Once the mechanical nature of symptoms is better understood, the clinician then classifies the problem. This simplifies the treatment approach to focus on the true root cause of the issue.

A clinician must undergo approximately 120+ hours of additional post-graduate training followed by a certification exam in order to be able to fully understand and implement the system properly. We will discuss who can become MDT certified in a future post.

Using MDT builds consistency from one clinician to another so that there can be a common “language” spoken as well as predictable progressions based on initial classification. The goal of the system is to increase a patient’s ability to treat themselves for long-term success rather than short-term, passive symptom relief. No matter the condition or problem, MDT’s foundation is in patient education rather than a specific technique needing to be performed “on them” in order to get better. This increases self-efficacy and ultimately reduces reliance on someone else for musculoskeletal management.

For more info on MDT visit:

https://www.mckenzieinstituteusa.org/method-patients.cfm

MDT Misconceptions

MDT is NOT just a series of exercises.

MDT is NOT only extension movements.

MDT is NOT only about the inter-vertebral disc.

MDT is NOT only for the spine.

For more common misconceptions about MDT visit:

https://www.mckenzieinstituteusa.org/method-misconceptions.cfm

Why I chose MDT

During clinical rotations at the University of Kansas Medical Center, I observed many different styles and settings of physical therapy (PT). I quickly discovered that not all PT is the same, much like not all primary care, athletic training, orthopedic care, etc. is the same. Variation is a good thing. I was challenged by trying to understand many different schools of thought at the same time.

Physical therapy is recommended or prescribed for a large range of conditions, pains, injuries, and more. It can be quite overwhelming and challenging as a physical therapist begins their career. How can I possibly know how to treat or be an expert on treating such a wide variety of conditions?? I knew quickly that I needed additional training to provide me with an actual system to approach patient care.

My introduction to MDT

Once introduced to MDT, I applied the system with my own patients. Being able to witness someone’s pain rapidly reverse and remain better was a game changer for me. Not everyone will be able to have such a quick result, but seeing that it was possible allowed me to feel like I was better prepared to help my patients. I believed this approach utilizes the body’s natural ability to repair itself and process pain. Additionally, I found that the MDT philosophy of teaching patients how to control their own symptoms for long-term management and prevention was the best version of clinical care.

Finally, I appreciate that MDT focuses less on specific anatomical deviations that may be found via imaging and more on learning how symptoms behave in relation to position and movement. Humans are not created nor built equal and symmetrical. Pain is very complex. At times, imaging is crucial to help diagnose serious pathology and injury to the body such as when a bone is fractured. However, modern imaging is less successful at telling us why we hurt and what to do about it. We see this most often when patients have aches and pains without any mechanism of injury. The MDT system has a “built-in” screen for serious problems. This allows me to rule in or out mechanical issues without reliance on imaging. MDT allows me to work WITH a patient instead of ON a patient.

Summit Strength is a Certified McKenzie Clinic, one of the few in the KC area. Check out this blog post to learn more.