The Role of Physical Therapy in Managing Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can interfere with daily life. It may last for months or years and make simple tasks hard. Physical Therapy can help people manage chronic pain in safe, active ways. At active acadia Physical Therapy (https://www.activeacadiaphysicaltherapy.com/), we believe “exercise is medicine.” Below is an easy-to-understand guide on how Physical Therapy — and especially the McKenzie Method® — can support long-term pain relief, along with self‑management strategies you can try.

Why Physical Therapy Matters for Chronic Pain

Physical therapy does more than just “treat” pain when it flares up. Specialist Physical Therapists at active acadia Physical Therapy helps you:

• Learn how your body moves (and sometimes moves away from the pain)

• Use targeted exercises to reduce pain and strengthen weak areas

• Improve flexibility, balance, posture, and endurance

• Prevent future flare-ups by changing daily movement patterns

In other words, Physical Therapy gives you tools to manage pain, rather than relying only on medications or rest.

What Is the McKenzie Method® and Why Use It?

The McKenzie Method® (also called Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, or MDT) 

Key ideas include:

• Assessment based on movement and posture — Your Physical Therapist tests what movements or positions affect your pain

• Finding the source of your pain

• Self‑management and exercises —  you do exercises as you need pain relief

Research suggests that for chronic low back pain, McKenzie exercises can reduce pain in the short term, and improve disability (how pain affects daily activities) in the long term. PubMed 

Because the method emphasizes self‑care, it fits well into a “pain management plan” you can control.

Self Symptom Management with McKenzie Method®  X “Exercise as Medicine”

Here are strategies:

1. Find your directional preference.During therapy, your Physical Therapist who is certified or who holds a diplomat level training in the McKenzie Method® will test specific directions of motion and observe how your pain moves. If certain exercise affects your pain in a positive way, that direction is your preference

2. Do repeated movements as instructed by your Physical Therapist

3. Postural correction / positional strategies.Your Physical Therapist may instruct postures or positions to maintain some pain relief when you are still

4. Gradual progression with “exercise as medicine.”As you continue the exercise for pain, your Physical therapist may add specific exercise directed to strengthening and flexibility work around the spine, hips, and core. These “adjunctive exercises” help your body support the spine, reduce strain, and improve resilience so you flare less often.

5. Symptom tracking and self‑adjustment.Keep a log: time, activity, what movement helped, what made pain worse. If you see patterns, discuss them with your Physical Therapist who can adjust your exercises or positioning

6. Gentle movement when in a flare.Even in a pain flare, small amounts of your preferred movement (within your tolerance) often help more than total rest.

Tips for Success & Safety

• Always work with a Physical Therapist certified or diplomat level McKenzie Method® training to learn proper technique and confirm the Method® fits your condition.

• Speak with your Physical Therapist about your exercise if your pain changes

• Be consistent. The real gains come from doing exercises regularly over weeks and months, as instructed by your Physical Therapist

• Your Physical Therapist may recommend combining McKenzie‑based exercises with general fitness (walking, swimming, low‑impact movement) to support overall body health.

At active acadia Physical Therapy, we integrate McKenzie principles into our care. We teach patients to become active managers of their pain. Visit our website (https://www.activeacadiaphysicaltherapy.com/) to learn more, book an initial evaluation, and begin your journey toward better movement and less pain.

By treating exercise as medicine — not just during therapy visits, but as your daily tool — it may be possible for you to build strength, decrease pain, and create a more independent, resilient life with chronic pain.