Shoulder pain - McKenzie Method (MDT)

In this video you see a patient with symptoms very typical to a shoulder impingement. The McKenzie method of diagnosis and treatment (MDT) classifies orthopedic symptoms in the spine, as well as the extremities. The diagnostic approach classifies orthopedic conditions as one of the following syndromes: Derangement, Dysfunction, Posture, or Other. Derangement is defined as an internal dislocation of articular tissue of unknown origin which causes a disturbance in the normal resting position of the affected joint surface, resulting in pain and restriction to movement. This is the classification we see with Joe in this video. Typical shoulder patterns have been established through MDT that give the clinician insight into what motions are most likely to reduce the patients symptoms. Joe has no loss of extension or internal rotation, and pain with flexion and abduction. This follows pattern 2 for shoulder derangement, and Joe responds well to the typical reductive repeated motion of horizontal adduction. A home exercise of repeating this motion 10 times every 1 to 2 hours resulted in a significant improvement in symptoms after 2 days. This confirms the derangement, and gives Joe a safe exercise that is easy to perform and will continue to reduce his symptoms in the future, as well as prevent future episodes from reoccurring. Not to mention, it is a much cheaper alternative to more invasive procedures or interventions.