Traction Therapy

Ease joint and muscle pain in the neck, back, and more with traction therapy at Accelerate Health.

Decompress

Take the pressure off the discs, nerves, and soft tissues around your aching spine and say goodbye to pain and discomfort.

Improve Alignment

Gently return your vertebrae to their proper positions and enjoy the relief to your neck and back.

Increase Circulation

Unleash your body’s healing potential and watch pain and inflammation fade away.

What is Traction Therapy?

Traction therapy is a chiropractic technique used to treat many conditions of the spine. This non-surgical therapy can help increase spinal motion and resolve disc bulges and herniations by decompressing the spine and improving its alignment. It is a safe, gentle procedure and works well to take pressure off the spinal nerves that may be injured or not functioning properly and alleviate symptoms like pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.

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How does Traction Therapy Work?

Traction uses a pulling force to a part of the body in order to stretch and relieve pressure on nerves or other soft tissues. Therapists can use their hands or mechanical devices to provide a controlled, gradual stretch.

There are several types of traction used in physical therapy, including:

Manual Traction

This involves the therapist using their hands to apply a gentle pulling force to the affected area to stretch and decompress the spine or joints. It works by applying a gentle pulling force to the affected area, which helps to create space between the vertebrae or joint surfaces, and relieve pressure on the surrounding soft tissues, including nerves, muscles, and ligaments.

During manual traction therapy, you will lie on a treatment table or mat, and the therapist will use their hands to apply a gentle pulling force to the affected area. They may apply a sustained pressure or use rhythmic oscillations to create a pumping effect that helps to increase circulation and promote healing.

Mechanical Traction

This approach uses a machine or device to apply a controlled, gradual pulling force to a part of the body, typically the spine. This technique decompresses the spine, increases the space between the vertebrae, and relieves pressure on the nerves and soft tissues. After you lie down on a traction table or bed, your therapist will position a device so that it can apply the pulling force to the affected area and program it to apply a specific amount of force that will gradually increase over time. The machine will gently stretch you for 10-30 minutes, then gradually release the force.

Inversion Traction

Inversion traction therapy uses the force of gravity to increase the space between the vertebrae, reduce pressure on the discs, and alleviate compression of the spinal cord and nerves. This typically involves inverting your body so that gravity can help provide the traction and space your body needs. While being suspended or inverted sounds strange or even uncomfortable, we’ve found that our patients love it! There are a number of devices that we can use for this therapy, including inversion tables, gravity boots, and inversion chairs. Your therapist will adjust the angle of your inversion based on your comfort level and physical needs.

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Who Might Benefit from Traction Therapy?

Traction therapy can benefit anyone experiencing pain or discomfort in their neck, back, or extremities due to a variety of conditions such as:

Herniated or bulging discs
Spinal stenosis
Degenerative disc disease
Sciatica
Spondylolisthesis

It's important to note that traction therapy may not be suitable for everyone, and it's important to consult with the qualified physical therapists at Accelerate Health to determine if traction is right for you.

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How Can I Get Started with Traction Therapy?

At Accelerate Health Denver, we want to get you the relief you need. Simply make an appointment, and we can determine if traction therapy could help you get back to a life free from pain.

Together we will:

Listen to your story and your body
Plan customized treatment to meet your specific needs
Partner with you on your journey to recovering a full and active lifestyle

Traction therapy could play a role in restoring your health, easing your pain, and getting you back to the active, healthy lifestyle that you love. Make an appointment today.

Make an appointment today.