O uso de Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (metódo Mckenzie) na redução da dor e aumento da funcionalidade de indivíduos com dor cervical: uma revisão crítica da literatura

Abstract

Introduction: Cervical dysfunction is defined as localized pain or stiffness in the spine at the level of the cervical vertebrae, which may or may not radiate to the upper limbs. This condition has increased considerably in the last years, being more incident in the feminine gender. Several factors are associated with cervical dysfunction, such as: reduction of the strength of the flexor and extensor muscles of the cervical region, hyperactivity or increased flexibility of the flexor muscles of the neck, limitation of range of motion and anterioration of the head position. Physiotherapy acts on musculoskeletal disorders with the aim of alleviating or correcting the physical causes that impact pain. Among the modalities of physiotherapeutic treatment is the Mckenzie method, also known as Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT). MDT emphasizes self-treatment strategies based on determining a direction of preference. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) in reducing pain and improving the functionality of individuals with cervical pain. Methods: Critical review of the literature, based on studies examining the use of MDT in patients with cervical pain extracted from five databases. Results: The research returned 360 studies, and after inclusion and exclusion criteria, 6 studies were selected for further analysis in the present review, being 4 clinical trials, 1 retrospective data analysis and 1 clinical analysis and analysis. Conclusion: MDT has been shown to be a useful tool in the treatment of cervical pain, since it is a technique that is easy to perform and low dependence on the physiotherapist, making it even more feasible to be included in clinical practice. There are indications that MDT can bring, in addition to pain relief, improved functionality and higher levels of treatment satisfaction. However, there is still little literature on this subject, and further studies are needed to better understand the effects of MDT in individuals with cervical pain.