Abstract
Background: Lateral trunk shift is a posture deformity that is often related to lumbar disc herniation (LDH). This will continue to cause pain, functional impairment, or delayed recovery if left untreated. The evidence related to lateral trunk shift using mechanical concepts of diagnosis and conservative treatment is still limited.
Case Presentation: In this, a 42-year-old male patient reported with sudden onset pain in the lower back, as well as pain in the left lower extremity, with evident right-sided lateral shift. His condition was confirmed on X-rays and MRI with left posterolateral disc herniation at the L4-L5 level. The treatment plan included a six-week protocol using McKenzie lateral principles and positional opening in physiotherapy.
Intervention: The patient underwent physiotherapy according to the principles of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), specifically McKenzie lateral principles and positional opening techniques, for 6 weeks. The physiotherapy routine was supervised twice a week, in addition to daily home exercises.
Results: At the end of 6 weeks, lateral trunk displacement was normalized, pain intensity reduced from 8/10 to 2/10 (NPRS), pain in the legs reduced from 7/10 to 1/10, Oswestry Disability Index reduced from 48% to 14%, and functional mobility was normalized with no adverse effects.
Conclusion: Integrating the positional opening procedure with the McKenzie lateral approach successfully addressed lateral trunk shift in LDH patients, providing relief from pain while maximizing functional outcomes. Such treatments are thus highly beneficial for patients.
Key Words: Lumbar disc herniation; lateral trunk shift; McKenzie technique; positional opening; physiotherapy; case report
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