5-Minute Lumbar
Triage Protocol —
Clarity Imaging
Can't Give You.
A structured lumbar assessment tool adapted from the Ontario CORE Back Tool — identifying mechanical pattern, red flags, neural involvement, and SI joint contribution at the point of care. No imaging required to reach a clinical decision.
Three Clinical Documents. One Package.
Every item is peer-reviewed, evidence-aligned, and ready to use at the point of care. The package is designed to reduce your back pain appointment time without reducing clinical rigour.
Lumbar MVMT Assessment Tool
A structured two-page clinical checklist covering red flag screen, general lumbar ROM, mechanical pattern classification, neurological screen, neural testing, SI joint provocation cluster, hip screening, yellow flags, pain and function scoring, clinical impression, and management decision. Adapted from the Ontario CORE Back Tool (2013) for primary care use.
2-page fillable clinical checklist · Decision summary includedPatient Education Handout — "Why You Don't Need an MRI"
A three-page patient-facing document explaining the mechanical vs. structural distinction in plain language — why imaging findings are often incidental, what the evidence says, and four universal movement principles every back pain patient can start the same day.
3 pages · Plain language · Print-readyClinical Reference List
14 peer-reviewed citations supporting every claim in the patient handout — from NEJM, Lancet, ACP, and AJNR. A claim-to-evidence map is included for rapid review. Provided for physician reference and referral discussions.
14 citations · Claim-to-evidence map · PubMed indexedWhy a Mechanical Screen — Before Imaging
The evidence for movement-first assessment in non-specific LBP is substantial. These are the findings your patients are presenting with — and why imaging often creates more clinical complexity than it resolves.
"Imaging labels — degeneration, herniation — increase fear, reduce movement, and slow recovery in patients who have no structural pathology requiring intervention."
Darlow et al., Ann Fam Med 2012 · Moseley & Butler, J Pain 2015
Six Clinical Areas. Five Minutes.
The Lumbar MVMT Assessment Tool moves through six structured areas — generating a Decision Summary that distinguishes mechanical LBP from disc/nerve involvement, SI joint contribution, and hip pathology at the point of care.
Red Flag Screen
Gives you a documented pathway to confirm or clear the presentations that can't wait — progressive neurological loss, bowel or bladder change, unexplained systemic symptoms. If a flag is present, the referral decision is structured and recorded before the patient leaves.
Mechanical Pattern Classification
Identifies whether the spine is extension-biased or flexion-biased — the single most clinically useful distinction for guiding what you tell the patient to do between now and their physio appointment. Two checkboxes. Done.
Neurological Screen
Confirms whether the nerve root is involved or the pain is purely mechanical — without sending the patient for imaging to find out. Myotome and reflex testing with a Decision Assist at each level so the clinical logic stays explicit.
Neural Testing
Distinguishes functional load tension — the most common finding — from true sciatic nerve irritation, which changes the management pathway. The difference matters clinically. This screen makes it clear in the room.
SI Joint Cluster
Patients with buttock pain that doesn't follow a dermatomal pattern are often mismanaged as lumbar disc presentations. This screen confirms or clears SI joint involvement before you refer — so the referral is accurate from the start.
Hip Screening
Hip restriction is a common and frequently missed driver of lumbar loading — patients present as back pain when the hip is the source. This two-minute screen catches the hip contribution that would otherwise surface three sessions into physio.
From Your Office to Resolution — in Four Steps
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01
At your desk
Use the checklist to distinguish pattern from escalation
The tool takes 5 minutes at point of care — generating a documented clinical impression and management decision. Red flags are screened and actioned. Mechanical pattern is classified. Neural involvement is confirmed or cleared.
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02
Mechanical LBP confirmed
Refer directly — or your patient books online in 2 minutes
Send a referral note to MVMT Kinetic, or direct your patient to book directly at mvmtkinetic.janeapp.com — no wait, no gatekeeping. If you prefer a referral template, we provide one in the Lunch & Learn.
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03
At MVMT Kinetic
Root-cause mechanical assessment — clinical shift in visit one
We complete a structured lumbar assessment, identify the mechanical driver, and build a movement-based plan. 90% of patients experience a measurable clinical shift in session one. One-on-one, no assistants, every session.
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04
Closed-loop
Clinical update to your office on request
If requested, we send a brief clinical update after the initial visits — assessment findings, mechanical driver identified, and plan of care. You stay informed without added administration.
The Back Pain Patient You See Every Week
How we explain it to them — the lightbulb analogy.
When a circuit breaker trips, it doesn't mean the house is falling down — it means the system is overloaded and needs a reset. Pain works the same way. It's a signal, not a verdict. Most of the time, the right response isn't demolition — it's finding which switch to flip.
This is the framing your patient receives in the handout — in plain language, before fear takes hold. It resets the clinical conversation before it becomes adversarial.
They googled "disc herniation" at 2am.
They arrive convinced they need a scan. They're scared — and a scared patient doesn't move. The MVMT Kinetic Patient Education Handout is designed to address this directly — in the same appointment, before they leave your office.
The handout gives them three things:
- A plain-language explanation of why imaging findings are often incidental — backed by peer-reviewed evidence
- Evidence that movement-based treatment outperforms rest, medication, and imaging-first approaches for most LBP
- Four universal movement principles they can start the same day — regardless of specific diagnosis
The outcome
They leave informed, less fearful, and with something to do. That is what drives compliance — and compliance is what drives outcomes.
Who Is Mohammad
Founder of MVMT Kinetic · Registered Physiotherapist · DPT · MScPT · 10+ years MSK clinical experience. Before referring a patient, hear directly from Mohammad — what he assesses, how he thinks, and what he measures.
1 minute 20 seconds · No production required — Mohammad speaks directly to you as a clinical colleague
"Practicing evidence-based physiotherapy — Mohammad ensures his patients understand the physiology of their presenting problem, improving the retention of the prescribed treatment. He is a knowledgeable diagnostic clinician whose dynamic personality contributes to the energy of each encounter. I recommend him most highly — he is the best."
Lunch & Learn — For Your Physician Team
If the clinical package was useful, the Lunch & Learn takes it further. A free session for your team — at your clinic, on your schedule. Typically 20 minutes.
What we cover
A practical session on lumbar triage and mechanical pattern recognition — plus the referral templates your clinic can use immediately. Typically 20 minutes — we go longer if your team wants to.
- Live walkthrough of the lumbar assessment tool with case examples
- Mechanical vs. structural pattern recognition — the five indicators that guide the decision
- When imaging helps — and when it delays recovery for your patient
- Referral templates your clinic can use the same day
- Q&A — any back pain presentation your team wants to work through