THE McGILL METHOD

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For back pain patients who have tried everything else

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Low back pain is one of the most common and most mismanaged conditions in medicine. Most patients receive generic exercises, vague advice, and no clear explanation of what is actually causing their pain. The McGill Method takes a completely different approach.

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Developed by Dr. Stuart McGill — the world's leading researcher on spine biomechanics — the McGill Method begins with one thing most back pain patients have never received: a specific diagnosis. Not "lower back pain." Not "degenerative disc disease." But the exact mechanism driving your pain, and precisely what triggers it.

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What to expect

​The McGill Method appointment is a single, comprehensive three-hour session. Dr. Vukelic will work to identify the patterns driving your pain, teach you how to move in ways that reduce rather than provoke it, and design an individualized exercise program that builds strength and endurance safely. In some cases, further workup such as imaging or bloodwork may be recommended. Most patients leave with a clearer understanding of their back than they have had in years — and a concrete plan to move forward.

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Patients are encouraged to read Dr. McGill's book The Back Mechanic before their appointment.

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Why it works when other treatments haven't

​Many back pain patients have been given exercises and advice that unknowingly keep them in pain. The McGill Method identifies those triggers and eliminates them. Rather than managing pain, the goal is to restore pain-free function and help you get back to doing what you love.

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Dr. Vukelic's training

​Dr. Vukelic is one of only two physicians in the world certified by Dr. Stuart McGill. She completed certification through his official training program, BackFitPro, in 2023, and has continued advanced in-person training with Dr. McGill in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

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She is also a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, and Performance Enhancement Specialist. Combined with her training as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine — in the hands-on lineage of Dr. James Jealous and Dr. Ed Stiles — she brings a rare combination of diagnostic biomechanics and structural manual medicine to the treatment of spinal disorders.