Mechanical traction is a therapeutic technique used primarily in physical therapy, chiropractic, and orthopedic settings to treat various forms of back and neck pain. This non-surgical approach involves applying a controlled pulling force to the spine or limbs to create space and relieve pressure. The traction table is the specialized apparatus designed to deliver this force accurately and gently. Treatment aims to counteract the compressive forces of gravity and daily activities that contribute to spinal discomfort, offering a precise method for spinal decompression.
Defining the Apparatus and Function
A modern traction table is a specialized, often motorized, and computer-controlled treatment platform designed to facilitate mechanical spinal decompression. The table typically features a padded surface and is segmented, allowing sections to move independently during treatment. A system of harnesses or belts is secured around the patient’s pelvis and torso, or the head and neck, to anchor the body and apply the necessary counter-traction force.
The primary function is to create longitudinal tension along the spinal column in a controlled and precise manner. Computerized systems allow the clinician to program specific parameters, including the amount of force, the angle of pull, and the duration of both the stretching and relaxation phases. This automation ensures a consistent and targeted application of force, which is necessary to achieve therapeutic spinal elongation. This advanced mechanical approach provides a level of control and consistency that is challenging to replicate with manual traction techniques.
Mechanism of Spinal Decompression
The therapeutic effect stems from the table’s ability to gently stretch the spine, altering the biomechanical forces acting on the vertebral column. This controlled stretching separates the vertebrae, creating space between them and reducing compression on the intervertebral discs. The application of this distractive force achieves a measurable reduction in intradiscal pressure.
This pressure change creates a negative pressure effect within the disc space. The negative pressure encourages the retraction of bulging or herniated disc material back toward the center of the disc. Simultaneously, the increased space widens the intervertebral foramen, relieving direct pressure on compressed nerve roots. Decompression also promotes improved fluid exchange, allowing oxygen, water, and nutrient-rich fluids to flow into the disc, which supports the healing process and rehydration.
Conditions Treated and Clinical Applications
Traction tables manage conditions characterized by spinal compression or nerve impingement. A common application is treating disc pathology, specifically herniated or bulging discs, where decompression helps retract the displaced material. This retraction alleviates pressure on surrounding spinal nerves, which is often the source of pain. The therapy is frequently prescribed for sciatica, resulting from the compression of the sciatic nerve, often due to a lumbar herniated disc.
Degenerative disc disease also benefits, as the stretching action creates space between the vertebrae, reducing the load on deteriorated discs. Traction can also treat facet joint syndrome, where stretching helps decompress the small joints at the back of the spine, relieving inflammation and pain. By reducing physical compression on spinal structures, the therapy provides a non-invasive pathway to pain relief and functional improvement.
Patient Experience and Safety Considerations
During a typical session, the patient lies comfortably, either face up or face down, depending on the targeted spinal area. The clinician securely fastens specialized harnesses around the body, usually across the hips and lower rib cage for lumbar traction. Once treatment begins, the patient feels a smooth, gentle pulling sensation as the controlled force stretches the spine. The intermittent pull-and-relax cycles are characteristic of modern spinal decompression and are generally not painful, though they may cause mild stretching.
A single treatment session usually lasts between 15 and 45 minutes, and a full course requires multiple sessions over several weeks. A thorough medical evaluation is necessary before starting treatment due to specific contraindications. Traction is not appropriate for acute spinal injuries, unstable spinal fractures, severe osteoporosis, or spinal tumors. Individuals with advanced pregnancy, certain heart conditions, or severe abdominal aortic aneurysms are also advised against using a traction table.