Effectiveness of symptom guided therapeutic approach in treating discogenic pain with radiculopathy using a combination of directional preference exercises, mobilisation and neural mobility exercises - A case report

Abstract

Researchers have reported various therapeutic approaches to treat patients with low back pain. The mechanical diagnosis and therapy as proposed by McKenzie, has been shown to be effective in diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic inference. Most often, the treatment options considered in these studies was directional preference exercises and manual procedures utilising movement and positions. But the effectiveness of symptom guided therapeutic approach in treating discogenic low back pain with radiculopathy using directional preference exercises, mobilization and neural mobility exercises is unknown. A case of a forty three-year-old male presenting with discogenic low back pain along with radiculopathy was assessed with McKenzie approach. Appropriate treatment strategy was selected and prescribed based on the initial assessment. The patient was re-evaluated each session, and treatment modification was made according to his symptom presentation during each visit. He proved to be symptom free after seven visits. This could have been due to disc regression and enhanced neural mobility obtained due to treatment. This case report demonstrates the effectiveness of symptom guided therapeutic management to treat patients with discogenic low back pain along with radiculopathy using appropriate treatment strategies. Finally, the report summarizes the treatment offered and discusses the possible explanation of the specific treatment strategies implemented.