Patients have a tendency to get nervous at the thought of physiotherapy traction. However, once the methods and benefits of this treatment become clear, it is quickly obvious that it can improve a number of conditions that are not adequately treated by other means. Traction is an old therapy, used in some form since ancient times for pain relief. Once performed manually, it has generally been mechanized since the 1940’s.
What is Physiotherapy Traction?
This treatment involves that application of gentle but steady pressure to the spine. This allows for the spine to straighten and as this happens, pressure decreases on the discs and nerves in the vertebrae. This pressure is generally applied by mechanical means with the use of a sling or other device. The patient’s position varies depending on the area of the spine being targeted. It is considered a safe and comfortable procedure.
What are the Benefits of Traction?
Traction has such a long therapeutic history for good reason. Its benefits are undeniable and include the following:
- pressure relief to the nerves and discs of the vertebrae that can treat the root cause of many painful back and neck conditions
- increased blood flow to the vertebral discs and nerves. This not only nourishes them, but helps to promote the body’s own natural healing mechanisms to help improve the patient’s condition
- the straightening of the spine that helps undo the compression and damage which can be caused by things like poor posture or simply the force of gravity over time
- the stretching of muscles and other connective tissues around the spine which simply cannot be done with exercise alone
What Medical Conditions does Traction Improve?
One of the great things about traction is that it benefits patients with a variety of sometimes difficult-to-treat conditions, including:
- Slipped or herniated discs
- Bone spurs
- Spinal stenosis
- Facet disease
- Compressed or pinched nerves
- Degenerative disc disease
- Sciatic nerve pain
These are just a few of the conditions that traction physiotherapy improves.
Treatment at the OCP Physiotherapy Clinic
When you become a patient at the OCP Physiotherapy Clinic, you will undergo an initial 45-minute, in-depth evaluation. This first session will help determine your needs so the physiotherapy staff can come up with a plan of care that is right for your medical history. Traction is one option from a variety of the treatments that include pressure point massage, strength training, the use of ultrasound and TENS units and taping, just to name a few. In short, your care plan will be holistic and individually tailored — which is just as it should be.
So if you are in chronic pain and your current plan of care is not adequate to meet your needs, contact us at OCP Medical Center. We offer a whole range of services including physiotherapy traction and we can come up with a treatment regimen that is right for your needs.