Let's pull and pull! Who can benefit from spinal traction?

Content

• Cervical spine traction: features of the method
• Stretching the neck muscles: in what cases is it used?

• Expert opinion
• Traction of neck muscles using the Ormed device

You can verify the effectiveness of treatment for neck pain in our center with the help of photos, videos about our method, as well as numerous positive reviews from our patients.

During traction, the traction load does not exceed 4-7 kg, this helps to increase the distance between the cervical vertebrae, release a pinched nerve root, and improve blood supply to the brain.

The essence of the procedure

Spinal traction is a therapeutic measure for dosed traction of certain parts of the spine - usually the cervical and lumbosacral. The method was created by Soviet professor Ya.Yu. Popelyansky. Now it is used by chiropractors, neurologists, and rehabilitation specialists. In medical traction, traction is performed using Ormed Professional equipment, which allows traction to be performed both vertically and horizontally.

The device is capable of dosing the load and measuring the angle, which makes it possible to target the problem area. Traction therapy involves an integrated approach. Together with the hood, a massage roller is used, the effect of which normalizes blood flow and removes functional blocks in the muscles.

Cervical spine traction: features of the method

Traction of the neck, as well as the spine, can occur in different ways. For example, this can be done either manually or using a machine. There are also known methods for stretching the neck using various loops, simple and inexpensive devices that can be easily used even at home. All these methods involve applying a directed load to the cervical spine, which helps reduce pain, return discs and vertebrae to their “places,” relieve spasms, and relax muscles. The choice of a specific method depends on the type of disease and the patient’s condition.

For any disease, it is very important not to overdo it with the load, because in this way you can only aggravate the situation and provoke complications. Therefore, before starting treatment, you must consult your doctor and get his recommendations. In our center you can sign up for a consultation with a specialist on any issues related to neck and spine problems.

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Advantages of traction therapy at the Federal Research Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia

The Center for Restorative Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center FMBA is the only one in Moscow and one of several in Russia where the Spinetronics Robotic-ATT Antalgic-Trak device is installed.

Specialists from the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center FMBA were trained by the company that develops this device and the technologies for its use. Patients have the opportunity to undergo a full examination if they complain of back pain and complex traction therapy.

The experience of doctors and rehabilitation medicine specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, injuries and age-related changes allows us to select the optimal treatment and stretch the spine exclusively with an individual calculation of strength, duration, frequency and other parameters of 3D rehabilitation.

We have developed several traction treatment programs for patients with various diseases of the spinal column. Depending on the indications, either a short or long course of 3D rehabilitation can be prescribed - from 1 to 15 sessions.

During traction therapy on the Spinetronics Robotic-ATT Antalgic-Trak, the computer continuously monitors the load distribution in all directions and, if necessary, optimizes it to be safe and at the same time as effective as possible.

Traction 3D rehabilitation: easy movement without back pain!

Stretching the neck muscles: in what cases is it used?

The traction process itself is quite universal and is used for different indications. Cervical spine traction may be necessary:

• for various curvatures (scoliosis);
• with torticollis;

Traction of the neck during a hernia at its different stages helps to return the vertebrae to their places and reduce (and even completely disappear) the hernia itself. In the event that destruction processes have already begun in the vertebrae and tissues, stretching is carried out under the supervision of a specialist. The same can be said about traction of the cervical spine during protrusion. Therefore, it is very important not to self-medicate, but first of all to consult a specialist. Only a competent doctor can understand the overall picture of the disease and prescribe the correct course of treatment.

Check yourself: are you at risk for spinal diseases?

Answer a few questions:

• Do you feel back pain after static exercise (sitting at a desk, lying in a certain position)?
• Does your middle or lower back hurt after walking?
• Do you have a constant feeling of heaviness in your back, do you find it difficult to find a comfortable position?
• Does getting up from an easy chair cause pain or discomfort?
• Do you lead a sedentary lifestyle (less than 30 minutes of daily physical activity)?
• Have you been or are you involved in sports with increased loads (including fitness, strength training, running)?
• Are you overweight?
• Have you been forced to lie down for a long time (surgery, injury, paresis)?
• Have you previously suffered a spinal injury?
• Did/do you have scoliosis?
• Are you experiencing any or a combination of these symptoms: dizziness, headaches, difficulty falling asleep, tinnitus, shooting in the arm or shoulder?

If you answered “yes” to at least 2 questions, you should definitely make an appointment with a rehabilitation doctor.

He will diagnose the condition of the spinal column and, if necessary, give recommendations for treatment, including the use of traction therapy.

Contraindications

Before therapy, the doctor decides whether the treatment will be safe and appropriate for a particular patient. The specialist takes into account all the circumstances and aggravating ailments.

Traction cannot be performed when:

• high blood pressure;
• inflammatory and infectious diseases;
• tumors and tuberculosis;
• decompensated diabetes mellitus;
• sequestered hernia of the spine;
• overweight;
• vascular diseases;
• mental disorders.

Efficiency of the method

Underwater traction causes a lot of controversy among experts. Most doctors believe that this procedure relieves compression of the nerve, so pain disappears. According to other doctors, spinal traction does not affect the cause of the pathology (degenerative-dystrophic changes in cartilage and bone tissue), but only eliminates the symptoms.

Carefully. With water traction of the spine, there is a risk of increased pain, dizziness, vegetative-vascular disorders, compression of the spinal cord, its nerves or blood vessels. If the patient's condition worsens, then treatment with this method is stopped.

But, despite all the controversy, underwater traction has a positive effect on the spinal column. Even after one session, spasm and pain are relieved. During traction, the intervertebral distance increases. An airless space is created in the area between the vertebrae, thanks to which protrusions and hernias are retracted. At the same time, pressure is released from the spinal nerves and blood vessels. In the affected areas of the spine, blood flow and metabolic processes are normalized, and spasmodic muscles are relaxed. Pain and tightness in the back disappear.

To achieve positive treatment results, you need to find a qualified specialist and strictly follow his recommendations.

The essence of the technique

Underwater spinal traction is a therapeutic procedure during which plain or mineral water and a weight are applied to a person’s back. It helps improve blood flow, nourish the cartilage pads between the vertebrae, relax the muscles, and also increase the space between the vertebrae. These effects are necessary in the treatment of protrusion, disc herniation, etc.

Quite a lot of spinal traction in an aquatic environment is used to prevent or treat disc herniation. The pathology occurs due to the fact that the tension of the connective tissue fibers of the disc capsule increases, this is due to its excessive compression by the vertebrae. When a hernia occurs, the bone bodies of the spine become excessively mobile, the muscles contract to fix them, then the pressure on the intervertebral disc increases, its shell cannot withstand the load, ruptures, and the nucleus pulposus (the gel-like contents of the disc) falls out.

To relax the muscles and eliminate their physiological blockage, underwater traction is used. This effect cannot be achieved with the help of medications. During underwater traction, the vertebral ligaments are stretched; under the influence of warm water, the spasmed muscles relax, which then reduces the pressure of the compressed cartilage pad between the vertebral bodies. This is a safe and natural method of traction, during which the patient does not need to make any special efforts.

Reference. After underwater traction, the distance between the vertebrae increases, the nerve endings and blood vessels are released from compression. The procedure helps to get rid of swelling, relieve pain and neurological disorders.

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Vladimir 03/18/2021 09:44:27

Hello! Tell me, if in the morning you don’t feel any pain or heaviness in the lumbar area, but by the end of the day they appear, is it enough to just take a course of spinal traction to get rid of it?

Show answer

LITVINENKO Andrey Sergeevich 03/22/2021 11:34:12

Good afternoon Vladimir! You must first undergo an examination, it is best to do an MRI of the lumbar spine and consult a doctor, and then begin treatment.

Indications

It is important to understand that underwater traction has contraindications, so it is prescribed for the following indications:

• Intervertebral disc herniation.
• Cervicalgia (neck pain).
• Vertebrogenic thoracalgia (chest pain caused by damage to the intervertebral discs).
• Lumbago (lumbago in the lower back).
• Lumboischialgia (lumbar pain that radiates to the lower extremities).
• Pain that is accompanied by neurological disorders (tingling, numbness, “pins and needles”).
• Curvature of the spine, for example, scoliosis, kyphoscoliosis (combined deformity combining lateral curvature and stoop).
• Radicular syndrome caused by compression of the spinal nerves.
• Osteochondrosis.
• Spondylosis (growth of osteophytes along the edges of the vertebral bodies).
• Ankylosing spondylitis (initial stages).

Underwater traction is indicated for osteochondrosis, scoliosis, neurological disorders, etc.

Reference. If pain associated with pinched spinal roots is combined with vegetative-vascular dystonia, then traction in a turpentine or hydrogen sulfide bath will be most effective. For diseases that are accompanied by impaired outflow from the veins of the spinal column, a sodium chloride bath is indicated. If the pain is severe and there are no signs of vegetative-vascular dysfunction, then traction is performed in a radon bath.

The most important

Underwater spinal traction is a serious procedure that has its contraindications. Therefore, the decision to prescribe it is made exclusively by the attending physician after diagnosis. It is important to find a qualified specialist, since if done ineptly, there is a risk of complications (increased compression of the spinal cord, its nerves, blood vessels, etc.). Underwater traction is carried out in a horizontal or vertical position; the first method is considered safer. After the session, it is recommended to wear an orthopedic corset and avoid physical activity. It is important to complete the full course so that the therapeutic effect is maximized. But if after several sessions the patient’s condition worsens, then the treatment is canceled. If underwater spinal traction was carried out according to all the rules, then painful symptoms disappear, the spinal cord and its nerves are freed from compression, and posture is corrected.

Methods of underwater traction

There are 2 main modifications of underwater traction: horizontal and vertical.

Horizontal traction is considered safer than vertical traction

Horizontal traction is carried out in different ways: according to Lisunov, Oliferenko, Kisilev, Buchelberger. During the procedure, a traction mechanism or bath is used. The patient is immersed in a shallow pool or bathtub on a special shield, which is then lowered into the water at a certain angle. The degree of load on the vertebrae depends on the angle of inclination. During the procedure, the patient's head is fixed to the top of the shield, but the legs are not secured.

Vertical water traction is carried out in a deep pool (from 2 to 2.5 m). The most common is the Moll-Bschelberger technique, during which the patient is secured with belts at a special stand, then lowered into water up to his chin. Sometimes weights are attached to the legs.

Reference. And there is also autotraction, during which the spine is stretched due to the efforts of the patient himself. It is carried out in several variations: “running under water”, stretching exercises near the side, swimming with outstretched legs. Using these techniques, you can influence not only damaged areas, but also the entire spinal column.

Vertical traction helps increase intervertebral space and relieve pinched nerves

There is a complex that combines underwater traction with hydromassage, radon turpentine, hydrogen sulfide and other baths. This procedure will help relax muscles, relieve pain, increase the tone of veins, etc.

Treatment of the spine with traction: why and what is it used for?

Computer traction is most often prescribed for spinal osteochondrosis and its complications. In order to widen the joint space and reduce the load on the joints, traction is prescribed for arthrosis of the knee and hip joints.

In addition, the traction method is used to stretch the neck, and skeletal traction of the spine is even prescribed to stimulate growth.

Who is at risk?

One of the main causes of spinal diseases is genetic predisposition. Experts have found that in 70% of cases such diseases are transmitted along chromosomes.

People suffering from akinesia – lack of movement – ​​are also at risk. They lead a sedentary lifestyle. Every year there are more and more such people.

People exposed to injuries and external mechanical influences are also at risk of acquiring spinal disease. This group includes athletes, people involved in extreme sports, and powerlifting.

Principles of treatment

• Before starting therapy, the patient is consulted by telephone to collect anamnesis and identify contraindications.
• Then, at the appointment, he is examined by a specialist, studies the results of the studies, and prescribes a treatment regimen.
• Before each session, a half-hour manual spinal massage is performed.
• The traction itself lasts about 45-60 minutes, the patient is in a comfortable position, and he has the opportunity to interrupt the procedure at any time.
• After each session, a special corset or collar is put on and worn for at least 2-4 hours. It holds the spine in a new position.
• For several hours after the procedure, you should limit sudden movements such as bending or turning.
• On average, traction therapy takes about 5-15 visits.