Is Spinal Traction the Solution to your Back Pain?
Spinal traction is one of the many “tools”
available to treat disc, joint and spinal
arthritic pain.
For the right condition, spinal traction
can achieve remarkable results without
invasive or risky procedures at minimal
cost. It should not however be considered
the panacea for all spinal conditions as in
some cases it may cause muscular spasms
especially in conditions where there may be
an acute, highly unstable disc lesion causing
the pain.
For many chronic arthritic, joint and
some disc related problems however, spinal
traction can offer rapid resolution of pain and
improve pain-free movement.
What is spinal traction?
Spinal traction is a mechanical means
of decompressing inflamed spinal joints and
reducing intra- discal pressure. Traction can
be applied manually by the therapist [usually
undertaken for severe neck problems] or,
more typically, it can be applied through the
use of a computerised traction unit operating
on a sliding bed or neck traction halter.
Traction progression and force is
programmed by the therapist and applied
gently and gradually with a safety trip
switch controlled by the patient. Treatment
usually lasts between ten to twenty minutes
depending on the severity and irritability of
the problem.
Traction is usually used in conjunction
with other manual therapy techniques to
achieve maximal outcomes in the quickest
possible time frame.
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What conditions respond best
to spinal traction?
Osteoarthritic back pain [by
decompressing affected joints pain is
gently relieved and movement restored]
Spinal canal stenosis in which the
opening for the spinal cord narrows
most commonly due to osteoarthritic
bone spurs or a bulging [prolapsed]
disc.
Spondylolisthesis - this refers to an
actual slip forward of a vertebra in
relation to vertebrae above and below
often encroaching spinal nerves or even
the spinal cord.
68 Complete Health
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Disc bulge [also referred to as a
prolapsed or “slipped” disc]. Pressure
from a disc bulge can impinge nerves
supplying muscles and skin to the
legs and can therefore cause radiating
nerve pain anywhere along the nerve
pathway.
Can I achieve the same results
on an inversion table?
Technically, inversion tables can apply
a distraction force to a healthy back as a
means of relieving compressive tightness
following prolonged standing or running
but in the case of an unstable disc problem
or other pathology, the rapid application of
distraction force and the uncontrolled force
being applied can actually exacerbate back
pain.
Another serious consideration is the
unknown vascular status in middle aged or
older people in whom a sudden increase in
intracranial pressure may lead to a vascular
haemorrhage. For these reasons, it is best
to avoid inversion tables but some benefits
may be gained by those that can hang off
a chin up bar or use parallel bars to unload
tight spinal structures. Computerised spinal
traction by comparison is entirely controlled
throughout the entire application in regards
to the number of increments used to achieve
the desired force as well as the type of force
profile that will benefit the specific structural
issue being treated.
In some cases the force is applied in
a static or constant load whereas in other
cases it may be more useful to utilise
intermittent or cyclic traction which offers
more of a mobilisation function for very
compressed and rigid backs.
So traction helps - what now?
Before undergoing spinal traction, a
patient must first have a consultation with
one of our therapists to determine if it
would be beneficial as part of a successful
maintenance programme. Traction can
be used by our therapists to compliment
and enhance other therapies within a
consultation. Current patients at Spine+Body
who have already been assessed have the
option to use spinal traction [neck or back]
for a nominal fee without a consultation
or a scheduled appointment. Patients can
avail themselves of this service without
the inconvenience or expense of a formal
consultation at a convenient time.
Clearly, many conditions that respond to
traction may represent irreversible damage
to joints, disc and other spinal structures
which are likely to require some degree
of maintenance at regular intervals. The
plan is always to obtain the best outcome
in terms of pain and mobility as quickly as
possible. Once a level of stability is achieved,
your therapist will guide you in the correct
maintenance exercises, things to avoid,
correct lifting and sitting posture and impact
absorbing footwear.
In addition to our traction machine, there
are other commercially available and cost
effective systems available for purchase
that can be used at home only for neck
traction. Speak to your therapist about their
effectiveness and application.
Peter Georgilopoulos
APA Titled Sports
Physiotherapist
Physiotherapist to the
Socceroos 1990-2000
Peter owns
Spine+Body Centre of
Allied Health in Bundall
on the Gold Coast. PH:
07 5531 6422
He has a long standing clinical interest in
muscle flexibility in the sporting population
particularly in relation to neural influences and,
his association with Bond University over the
last few years has enabled him to undertake
research in this area resulting in two studies
to date the first of which was published in
“Manual Therapy”.