The Effectiveness of Mckenzie Exercises and Mechanical Traction in Reducing Persistent Low Back Pain and Improving Quality of Life Among Desk Job Professionals

Persistent Low Back Pain (PLBP) is one of the leading causes of disability among desk job professionals due to prolonged sitting, poor ergonomics, and physical inactivity. Conservative physiotherapeutic approaches such as the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) and mechanical traction are widely used for symptom management. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of McKenzie exercises and mechanical traction in reducing PLBP and improving quality of life. Objective: To assess the impact of McKenzie exercises versus mechanical traction on pain intensity and functional disability in desk job professionals diagnosed with PLBP.1A total of 10 male participants aged 20–50 years with mechanical low back pain were randomly assigned into two groups of 20 each. 2Group A received McKenzie exercises, and Group B underwent mechanical traction. Both interventions were administered over 6months in an outpatient physiotherapy department. 3Pain was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and disability was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) before and after the treatment. Results: Both groups showed significant improvement post-intervention. Group A (McKenzie) had a reduction in VAS from 5.75 to 2.75 and ODI from 31.25 to 14.25. Group B (Traction) showed VAS reduction from 7.00 to 4.00 and ODI from 45.00 to 22.50. Statistical analysis indicated that Group A experienced greater improvement in both pain and disability (p < 0.05). Conclusion: McKenzie exercises were more effective than mechanical traction in reducing pain and improving quality of life among desk job professionals with PLBP. These findings support the use of active, self-managed physiotherapy techniques like the McKenzie Method as a preferred intervention in occupational back pain management.