Mechanical Traction Physiotherapy in Orleans, ON
Your spine has 32 vertebrae separated by a disc that works as a shock absorber. Every moment of the day, gravity compresses your spine, putting pressure on those joints, bones, and discs. With an injury or medical condition to any structure in your spine, like ruptured or degenerating discs, the compression aggravates the area, causing pain and inflammation. Continuous compression eventually leads to wear and tear, which causes pain and may lead to arthritis.
So, your lower back and neck are especially prone to these types of degenerative changes as your spine holds up your head and the rest of your body.
At Orleans Physiotherapy in Orleans, ON, Mechanical Traction is frequently used to treat conditions such as:
- Stiff lower back
- Disc bulge
- Stiff neck
- Ruptured disc (slipped disc)
- Sciatica
- Osteoarthritis
- Degenerative disc
Mechanical traction chiropractic and mechanical traction physiotherapy use a machine for a steady, controlled traction that decompresses the spine. This takes the pressure off joints and discs in the spine for relief from back pain.
What to Expect with Mechanical Traction at Orleans Physiotherapy in Orleans, ON
After a comprehensive assessment, your physiotherapist at Orleans Physiotherapy in Orleans, ON, may recommend mechanical traction. This will depend on your condition and how your physiotherapist expects your spine will respond to this gentle decompression therapy.
If mechanical traction physiotherapy is part of your recovery plan, you lie on your back on a physio bed with Velcro belts strapped around you around your lower ribcage and above your pelvis. The traction machine gently pulls down the belt attached above your pelvis while the belt under your ribcage keeps your body on the bed. You just lie back and relax!
Mechanical traction simply stretches out your back, so it feels just like stretching. There is no pain from the traction itself, and most people find the procedure very relaxing. Often, patients don’t really know how much pressure there was on their spine, so when it is relieved, they find it quite comfortable. But since it is a new stretch, your muscles may ache for a little while afterwards.
How Mechanical Traction Physiotherapy Works
Mechanical traction applies weights to stretch your muscles and ligaments to increase the space between your vertebrae. Usually, your physiotherapist at Orleans Physiotherapy in Orleans, ON, will recommend mechanical traction for pinched or compressed nerves, skeletal or muscle disorders, or joint, muscle, ligament, or vertebrae injury.
Using mechanical traction physiotherapy creates continuous or intermittent stretches on a traction table. Your treatment may also add massage, heat, and/or vibration on the table. The table takes direction from state-of-the-art software to apply the exact amount of pressure at the correct intervals.
You can live a more pain-free life by taking off the constant pressure your back endures.
Contact Orleans Physiotherapy in Orleans, ON, for Mechanical Traction Physiotherapy
Orléans Centre for Physiotherapy is unique in the Orleans area because it features a manual traction table.
Spinal decompression has a mechanical effect on the discs in the spine that helps decompress the bulge in the disc and reduce the nerve irritation. The benefits can be long lasting but may require a series of treatments to get excellent results.
Symptoms caused by a bulging disc in neck and back pain that can radiate down the arm or leg, tingling and numbness in the arms or legs. A thorough evaluation by our registered physiotherapists will allow them to determine the most effective strategy to help correct the bulging disc. This may involve using our manual traction table and other equipment as well as providing you with information on exercises, body mechanics and posture.
Contact Orleans Physiotherapy in Orleans, ON today, to see how mechanical traction physiotherapy will help you!
Mechanical Traction FAQs
What Is Mechanical Traction?
Mechanical Traction uses weights to stretch muscles and ligaments to increase the spaces between vertebrae in the spine. Mechanical traction is recommended for conditions such as pinched nerves, joint injuries, compressed nerves, muscle and skeletal disorders, and injuries to muscles, ligaments, and vertebrae. Mechanical traction continuously or intermittently stretches the spine on a traction table that uses a computer to control the variations in pressure during the treatment. Many mechanical traction tables also combine heat, vibration, and/or mechanical massage.
What Are the Benefits of Mechanical Traction?
Mechanical traction relieves the constant pressure on the spine, which reduces the pain in the joints and muscles. Mechanical traction is often used to treat acute and chronic back pain conditions such as sciatica, herniated discs, pinched nerves, degenerative disc disease, and other painful back and neck conditions. Patients find traction relaxing, and as a passive type of physiotherapy, it is often recommended for patients experiencing significant pain at the beginning of a recovery plan.
What Is Mechanical Vs Manual Traction?
Mechanical traction uses a machine that stretches the spinal vertebrae and muscles. With manual traction, physiotherapists use their hands to gently stretch the spinal vertebrae and muscles.