Traction
If you have chronic neck or back pain that hasn’t responded to other forms of care, traction may be beneficial for you. Traction is any type of sustained stretching on the tissues of the spine. In our Winnipeg office we use traction to bring the spine back into its normal position. With this approach, we can pull in any direction on the spine to target problem areas.
From helping with neck problems all the way down to the tailbone, traction can be highly effective.
Appropriate for Patients of Across the Spectrum
Think of traction like putting braces on a child’s teeth to mold their teeth into a straight position. We’re remolding the spine back into its normal, healthy position.
We have patients as young as 10 years old who can benefit from corrective traction. Spinal screenings should be performed on girls between the ages of 10-12 and 13-14 for boys. This allows us to identify spinal problems (such as Scoliosis) before these youngsters being their pubertal growth spurt. By starting traction on kids before puberty, we have a greater chance of make spinal corrections and preventing progression. Furthermore, many in this age group spend numerous hours per day on digital devices resulting in forward head posture or “text neck.”
On the other end of the spectrum, we have patients doing traction all the way into their 70s. For most adults, we use traction to address joint fixations, disc injuries, postural abnormalities and degenerative scoliosis.
We will assess your spine to see where it would have shifted into an abnormal or dysfunctional position. Traction uses different pulleys and decompressive devices to help stretch the spine gently back into the right position.
With our corrective form of traction, it’s not a patchwork approach. Our goal is to give patients long-lasting results. The length of care is determined on a case-by-case basis.
According to research, correcting spinal abnormalities provides better long-term outcomes, not only in pain reduction but in overall health and wellness. Excellent long-term results are what we’re seeking for our patients.
FAQ
Do you provide traction blocks that I can use at home to help with correction?
Yes, we will send you home with one or more Denneroll traction blocks or orthopedic devices, which are forms of home traction. There are products for the neck (cervical spine), the mid-back (thoracic spine) and the lower back (lumbar spine). Denneroll also makes blocks for those with scoliosis and people with poor posture.
To determine which device is right for you we will do an exam, take X-rays and get your history.
The more you work on correction at home the longer you will sustain your results over time.
What other things can I do to get the best changes to my spine?
Are there any types of patients who shouldn’t get traction?
We don’t recommend traction on very young children as they likely won’t be able to remain still during a session. On the other end of the spectrum, older seniors who have osteoporosis or mobility challenges that prevent them from getting on or off the traction table may not be suitable for this therapy.
Book an Appointment
Contact us today to schedule an appointment for traction at Lindenwoods Chiropractic.
