Traction
In spinal health care, traction refers to the practice of relieving pressure on the spine and neuro-musculoskeletal system by applying a distracting force to the ends of a particular spinal segment(s).
Traction is commonly used in the cervical spine to relieve pressure on the cervical nerve roots in patients with disc herniations, degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis. Cervical traction can be applied manually by a trained health care professional, and there are many different types of hope traction units that can be purchased to provide temporary relief of symptoms for patients who show benefit in the clinic.
The use of traction in the lumbar spine has much less supporting evidence. Because of the large amount of force needed to overcome the compressive forces in the lumbar spine, manual traction is usually not a viable option. Many health care professionals (mostly chiropractors) advertise treatments with lumbar traction devices (e.g. DX-9000). Also, there are a number of inversion tables available for purchase on the internet which can be very costly. Some patients may find some benefit to lumbar traction. However, multiple treatments are usually necessary and most patients find that treatment is not very beneficial in the long run. Also, home inversion tables have been associated with patient injuries and may exacerbate other health problems (e.g. High blood pressure) in improperly selected patients.
Traction should be performed in a safe environment prior to the purchase of any home unit. Significant harm can occur to patients who aren’t evaluated medically and cleared to use traction. Discussion with your physician and/or therapist is strongly advised to determine if you are an appropriate candidate for traction.
Figure 1: Lumbar Inversion Table
Figure 2: DRX9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression System
Figure 3: Over the Door Home Traction Unit
Figure 4: Cervical Traction Unit
