Sarah Key Method

Sarah Key is an Australian Physio with an international reputation for treating problem backs.  All our physiotherapists at North Down Physio are accredited in the Sarah Key Method of spinal treatment.

This is a relatively new and very exciting method of treating back pain (both lower and upper back pain).  Sarah Key proposes that ‘simple back pain’ develops when an intervertebral disc loses water content and stiffens.  This can be painful in itself and is also restricts movement of that spinal segment.

Over time this stiffness progresses and has a knock on affect to the spinal joints above and below. Without attention or treatment this can lead to acute episodes of back pain, or long term chronic low back pain.

Our physios are specially trained in the SKM and will use the heel of the foot to effectively mobilise these stiff spinal segments, we can create greater forces on the spine with much less pain for the patient and less effort for the therapist.

Sarah Key’s unique method of mobilising a stiff spinal segment is followed by specific spinal decompression treatment to introduce pressure changes through spinal segments and make immediate use of segmental freedom gained with the treatment.  These procedures use the Back Block Routine to improve disc nutrition and strengthen the muscles that control the individual spinal segments.