Flexion-distraction therapy is performed on a segmented table that moves as your chiropractor slowly manipulates your spine. The manipulations, combined with the movements of the table, stretch and decompress your spine, relieving your back, leg, neck, or arm pain.

What is a flexion distraction?

Flexion Distraction is a gentle, safe, controlled form of traction specifically designed for spinal pain relief. The table looks similar to a standard chiropractic table, but it can flex and side-flex, allowing patients to receive traction relief in a non-weight bearing fashion.

What is the Cox technique?

The Cox Flexion Distraction Technique (also referred to as the Cox® Technic) was developed by Dr. James M. Cox as a gentle, non-force adjustment procedure to help the spine heal naturally. … The goal of Flexion Distraction is to decompress the spine by applying gentle stretching or traction to the lower spine.

What is spinal Distraction?

Mechanized axial spinal distraction therapy, also known as vertebral axial decompression, is a therapy used for lower back pain due to a number of conditions including, but not limited to, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, posterior facet syndrome, lumbosacral strain, radiculopathy, and a condition …

What is distraction in physical therapy?

Physical therapists do this all the time in a procedure known as distraction. Basically, it’s the manual separation of two articulating joint surfaces. We “distract” these surfaces in order to relieve pressure within the joint, especially for people who have osteoarthritis.

What is a distraction table?

The flexion distraction table is a chiropractic technique involving a table that can safely move the spine in a therapeutic way to alleviate pain and take pressure off the lumbar spine. This in turn can eliminate pain in your arms, legs and neck, too.

What is the Sacro Occipital Technique?

The Sacro Occipital Technique sees your Chiropractor use precise, light adjustments to stimulate healthy nerve function. This particular technique uses custom wedge-shaped blocks that allow your body to maintain complete balance, while the procedure is performed.

Why is it called a Chance fracture?

A Chance fracture results from a flexion-distraction injury of the spine. Manchester, UK radiologist G.Q. Chance first described this fracture in 1948 as a “horizontal splitting fracture of the spine.”[2] The association between the use of lap seat belts and the Chance fracture was not recognized until the 1960s.

What is traction distraction?

Traction can be defined as separation of joint surfaces. The result of applied traction is distraction. Distraction means, “ to pull apart or to draw away”. Traction is a force and does not denote a change in position.

What is a flexion injury?

Flexion-distraction injuries occur due to distractive forces causing disruption of the posterior and middle spinal columns. These fractures classically consist of a fracture line through the posterior bony elements; involvement of the posterior ligamentous complex is, however, common.

Article first time published on

What is a distraction injury?

Discussion. The NEXUS study defined distracting painful injuries as injuries which are severe enough to distract the patient’s attention away from a second injury and may serve as markers of high energy trauma capable of producing multiple injuries.

What is Thompson drop technique?

Thompson Terminal Point Technique, also known as Thompson Drop-Table Technique, is a chiropractic technique which uses a precision adjusting table along with a weighing mechanism which gives sufficient tension to keep the patient in the “up” position before the thrust or pressure is applied.

Has anyone died at a chiropractor?

Results: Twenty six fatalities were published in the medical literature and many more might have remained unpublished. The alleged pathology usually was a vascular accident involving the dissection of a vertebral artery. Conclusion: Numerous deaths have occurred after chiropractic manipulations.

What is SOT chiropractic technique?

(SOT) is a chiropractic technique developed to restore a functional relationship between the head, the pelvis, and the spine – a structure that envelopes and protects our central nervous system. It is also known as a more “light,” or gentle, method of chiropractic adjusting. …

Is traction and distraction the same thing?

A distraction is something we do that moves us away from what we really want. Traction is an action that moves us towards what we really want. … The difference between traction and distraction is forethought. Any action can be either a distraction or traction depending on what you intend to do with your time.

What is the difference between a traction and a distraction?

Distraction tells us the therapist is attempting to use the force at a specific level or area of the spine. Traction is more of a general dispersion of the force throughout the spine. Traction can be applied with the patient in many different positions.

Does Sacro Occipital Technique work?

No. SOT works to a great extent by specifically positioning the body to use the weight of gravity and the body to correct the body. This occurs because of an interaction between the specific position the body is in and the motion of the body caused by normal breathing.

What is McTimoney technique?

McTimoney Method technique Chiropractic is a method of adjusting the bones of your body to improve skeletal alignment. McTimoney Chiropractors are trained to correct misalignments using light, quick and specific adjustments. Most people experience little or no discomfort when receiving a McTimoney Method treatment.

What is Sacro Occipital Chiropractic?

Sacro Occipital Technique is a specialized, comprehensive, gentle and innovative Chiropractic Technique, named because of the relationship between the sacrum (base of the spine) and the occiput (base of skull). … It supports the upper body right up to the skull, and enables us to transfer our weight to our legs.

What is the purpose of chiropractic table?

During this method, a chiropractor provides a sudden thrust to a patient’s spinal or pelvic area. As the doctor makes the thrust, the area of the patient’s body being worked on is simultaneously dropped by the table. This technique allows for thorough and less discomforting spinal manipulations.

Is lumbar spondylosis arthritis?

Technically, spondylosis is a form of arthritis—spinal osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis) to be exact. We tend to think of arthritis as something you get in your hands and knees, but the spine, and all of its bones and joints, can fall victim to its grip as well.

Is traction good for bulging disc?

Patients with greater herniations tended to respond better to traction. In conclusion, lumbar traction is both effective in improving symptoms and clinical findings in patients with lumbar disc herniation and also in decreasing the size of the herniated disc material as measured by CT.

What is traction device?

Most often, traction uses devices such as weights and pulleys to put tension on a displaced bone or joint, such as a dislocated shoulder. The tension helps put the joint back in position and keep it still. Traction is also used to keep a group of muscles (such as the neck muscles) stretched to reduce muscle spasms.

What is a T7 fracture?

In general, a patient with a fractured T7 would experience pain when moving, and have difficulty standing for long periods. Patients with associated rib fractures may sometimes even have pain with breathing (particularly when taking big breaths).

What is true about Chance fracture?

A Chance fracture is a type of vertebral fracture that results from excessive flexion of the spine. Symptoms may include abdominal bruising (seat belt sign), or less commonly paralysis of the legs.

How can the risk of a fracture be reduced?

Chance fractures can generally be reduced by placing the patient on a Risser table with hyperextension applied to the thoracolumbar junction. A fiberglass or plaster cast is then applied. Alternatively, a mold may be taken and a TLSO made for stabilization.

What is flexion of the back?

Back flexion is a type of stabilization exercise used in back rehabilitation programs that involve bending the spine forward from the waist. Movements that utilize back flexion include pulling knees to the chest and posterior pelvic tilts. …

Is spinal flexion bad?

Flexion is a functional and fundamental movement of any body part including the spine. It is NOT dangerous to flex the lumbar spine, as it is not dangerous to flex the hips, the elbows or the fingers. Sure it is true that people often injure themselves while bending or lifting.

What are types of spinal traction?

• Continuous Traction – Continuous or bed traction uses low weights for extended periods of time (up to several hours at a time). …
• Sustained Traction – This type of traction involves heavier weights applied steadily for short periods of time (for periods from a few minutes up to 1 hr).

Is spondylolisthesis a disease?

Spondylolisthesis is a spinal condition that affects the lower vertebrae (spinal bones). This disease causes one of the lower vertebrae to slip forward onto the bone directly beneath it. It’s a painful condition but treatable in most cases.

What does distraction mean in medical terms?

dis·trac·tion (dis-trak’shŭn) 1. Difficulty or impossibility of concentration or fixation of the mind. 2. A force applied to a body part to separate bony fragments or joint surfaces.