McGill Method – A Proven Approach for Back Pain Relief

If you search lower back pain online you are overwhelmed with an enormous amount of information calming to have the answer to your back pain through all different types of crazy treatments.

The McGill Method is a proven, highly research-backed approach designed to not only pinpoint the root cause of pain through a detailed assessment but also to teach you to build long-term resilience. Developed by distinguished Professor Emeritus Dr. Stuart McGill, this method helps patients regain their strength, independence and lives.

What is the McGill Method?

The McGill Method is a specific and specialised approach to treating low back pain.

The main focus is a in depth assessment to create an accurate diagnosis, this then leads to an individualised and personalised rehabilitation plan.

Prof. Stuart McGill, is a professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo, Canada, he is a leading authority in the field of spine reserach and rehabilitation who spent most of his career researching how backs work and to best reduce back pain.

Nick is one of the few clinicians in Australia who has studied and trained with Professer McGill.

How Does the McGill Method Work?

The McGill Method is an in depth assessment, with the outcome of the testing informing the rehabilitation and exercise plan. This consists of:

Detailed medical history

Going through your entire history, previous interventions and imaging usually reveals the original cause of your back pain.

Posture & movement analysis

Testing your body in different positions and movements stress certain structures and off loads others, this helps identify you pain triggers and relivers, as well as what movements need to be improved upon.

Muscle testing

Evaluating the muscles around your spine and hips again helps identify what structures are being stressed, as well as informing us which exercises are needed to start to build your foundational strength.

The rehabilitation plan is developed based on YOUR goals and assessment results. No two plans are the same.

Your plan may consists of strategies to help reduce and desensitise your pain, these are generally referred to positions of respite.

Movement Pattern Modification: Adjusting the way you perform a common task throughout the day, or the way you sit, this is to help offload sensitive structures and further desensitise your pain.

Exercises: Specific exercises are designed to build your strength with minimal stress on painful areas. The McGill Big 3, while common, are not always used, you may have regressions or progressions depending on your needs.

Movement Mastery: Over time, your movement technique is refined with practice. Your exercises are progressed to challenge you further, eventually leading back to your a pain-free life and enjoying activities and sport again!

McGill Method vs. McKenzie Method – Which One is Right for You?

A common treatment method used in Australia is the McKenzie Method, which was developed by a New Zealand Physio named Robin McKenzie back in the 1980's.

Nick is also trained in the McKenzie Method before using the McGill Method. He still uses the principles of the McKenzie Method in his practice.

The McGill Method has several advantages over the McKenzie Method. Please see some the differences between them.

McKenzie Method

History mainly focused on lower back
Assessment is focused on repeated movements and migration of pain - doesn't take into account movement pattern dysfunction.
Treatment can be effective in short term, but not long term.
Really only effective for some disc and nerve related issues

McGill Method

History focused on whole body
Detailed assessment looks at posture, movement patterns, structural stress and muscle strength
Once acute pain stage is over, treatment continues to focus on long term outcomes and overall independence.
Effective for all back related injuries, as treatment s based on the assessment

Why Choose Nick as Your McGill Method Provider?

Nick Adkins, BExSSc, GradDipClinExPhys

AEP – AES – ESSAM

Nick is the only McGill Method Practitioner Certified by BackFitPro in Victoria and one of the few in all of Australia.

Nick has been working with back pain patients for over 10 years and has studied and trained extensively to understand lower back issues further.
He has worked with many complex cases, ranging from patients recovering from multiple surgeries and being bed bound due to back pain back to living life.

Nick is located at 62 Slater Parade Keilor East, Victoria 3033

Australia

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What to Expect in a McGill Method Consultation

First we go into a in depth history of your problem, not only how it is affecting you now, but how it started . There are clues here that are important to developing your plan.

We then go into the physical examination, this is a lengthy process. We work to probe your issues and identify pain triggers, weakness and the injury.

Once the detailed history and examination are complete, we then have an excellent idea of what is causing your problems.

Next, we go over corrective exercises to address your weakness as well as management strategies to eliminate your pain triggers and desensitise your nervous system.

There is a lot to go through, which is why we allocate 90 minutes for the initial consultation, which is very rare in this industry.

By the end of the consult you will have more knowledge about your injury than any other clinician has provided you in the past. One of the main goals of our expert consultations is to educate you about your injury so you can manage it and move on without the pain!

FAQ

Is the McGill Method safe for severe back pain?
- Very safe, the based on your history, the assessment is modified so as not to stir up any flare up of pain and the prescribed movements and exercises are adjusted to be appropriate (some severe cases aren't even given exercises straight away. The pain must be settled down first).
Do I need a referral?
- No referral is needed, however if you are under a third party compensation scheme such as Medicare or Workcover; a GP referral (or case manager approval) is required before you can claim a rebate on our services.
What do I need to bring with me to the Initial Consultation?
- Just yourself! If you have a carer or someone to assist you, they are more than welcome to join you.
- We recommend wearing loose comfortable attire you can easily move around in.
- You can bring in previous imaging results (x-rays, MRI’s etc), but it is not required, they only tell part of your story!
  For ease of access, please add Ares Strength Rehab as a provider with the radiology clinic where your imaging was completed.
Can I do McGill exercises at home?
- Everything is adjusted to what you have available, whether you have no equipment, a home gym or access to a normal gym, your exercises are modified to what you have access to.