Comparison of McKenzie Extension v/s William’s Flexion Exercises in Mechanical Back Pain among Medical Students

Abstract

Background This study compared the effects of McKenzie's Extension exercises versus William’s Flexion exercises on mechanical back pain in medical students aged 18-25. The high incidence of low back pain among medical students is attributed to stress, long hours of studying and working in a clinical setting, poor posture, and physical inactivity. Methods In a six-month randomized controlled trial, 30 participants were assigned to Group A (McKenzie Extension exercises) and Group B (William’s Flexion exercises). Pain levels were measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale before and after the study. Paired sample t-tests and independent t-tests were used for within-group and between-group analysis, respectively. Results The study demonstrated that both exercise groups experienced a reduction in pain levels after 3 weeks of home exercise. However, the McKenzie Extension group exhibited a more significant (p<0.05) decrease than William’s Flexion group. Conclusion McKenzie’s Extension exercises were deemed more effective than William’s Flexion exercises in reducing mechanical back pain among medical students. Keywords Activities of Daily Living, Exercises, Low Back Pain, Medical students.