Blog

When patients present to their healthcare provider with musculoskeletal pain, there is a good chance that some form of imaging will be taken. More often than not it would be an X-ray initially, but it’s not uncommon for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to follow. We...

In Part 1, I outlined how prevalent spinal flexion and other directions of movement are in our society relative to lumbar extension, told a story of a chance encounter that led to tremendous insight on the benefits of bending backwards, and provided research that...

If you search the internet for low back stretches, you will find dozens of options touted by fitness and healthcare professionals. Most of these incorporate some form of flexion or forward bending (e.g. knees to chest stretch or...

In Part 3 I gave a brief overview of the McKenzie Method (MDT), the assessment and treatment system I believe is best suited to change the course of our current musculoskeletal pain epidemic. In Part 4, I will outline what this shift looks like. The McKenzie Method as...

In Part 2, I described how musculoskeletal diagnoses are currently made and treatments are prescribed. I showed that in many cases these decisions are based on a flawed model.  I outlined how our current methods for managing musculoskeletal pain are not working as...

In Part 1, I outlined how and why paradigm shifts change. When what we see challenges long held beliefs, we are forced to alter the way we view things. I also stated that I believe the way we have classically treated the vast majority of musculoskeletal pain is...

In this 4 part series, I will highlight the reasons why our current method of treating musculoskeletal pain is in need of a paradigm shift, defined as a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions, and propose a method that is well suited to fit this...

We have always known that the brain is vital in the experience of pain. There may be no truer statement regarding this notion than “No Brain, No Pain”. While we know that the brain is involved in every pain experience, it remains our most mysterious organ. While there...

Theories surrounding the anatomical tissue source (the culprit) of lower back pain has been debated among medical professionals for centuries, if not longer. One of these culprits, especially popular among chiropractors and osteopaths, has been the sacroiliac (SI)...

Because it is something that occurs whether we think about it or not, the majority of us typically don’t pay too much attention to our breathing, especially the mechanics of our breathing. This will likely change, however, if you are about to embark on a corrective...

Not me personally (or at least not that I know about), but this is something I occasionally hear from patients with shoulder pain. Typically these patients are over 60 and don’t have a traumatic incident that caused their shoulder pain (e.g. a fall on an outstretched...

In today’s health care landscape, if you see your doctor for musculoskeletal pain, there is a good chance that you will receive an x-ray. There are certain instances where an x-ray is absolutely justified, for example if you have had a recent trauma or when you have...