Traction to Decompress the Spine

Traction is often used by physiotherapists to help relieve back pain by decompressing the spine. I like to use the analogy of a disc being like a jelly-filled donut to better understand how this works. In medical terms the jelly center is the nucleus pulpous (nucleus), and the donut ring is called the annulus fibrosis. This annulus fibrosis is a rubberband-like layer of fibro-elastic tissue which holds the nucleus in place. When the donut ring ruptures, the jelly inside seeps out, creating a herniation. When this jelly matter touches or puts pressure on the neighboring sciatic nerve, it causes a great deal of sciatic pain, or sciatica. Traction, by gently pulling the vertebrae apart, creates a negative pressure within the disc. This creates a vacuum within the disc which draws the 'jelly' back inside, away from the nerve, relieving pressure and pain. The technology of machines used in traction varies greatly, yet they all do basically the same thing. The appearance is that of a table. Some tables are very simple and archaic looking. Others are fully computerized. The principle behind them tends to be the same. Generally your upper torso is kept stationary on the table while your pelvis is securely strapped to some sort of a pulley mechanism. The pulley mechanism then slowly pulls your pelvis away from your torso, creating decompression. It's not so much the technology level of the machine that counts, more importantly it's the protocol that's used. For this reason a simple traction device can be just as good as the more expensive fancier ones. You may also want to invest in an inversion table for your home, which is another form of decompression therapy. With your feet locked in place as you lean back against the 'vertical' table, it tilts you back until your feet are above your head, allowing gravity to naturally decompress your spine. One important point to note which is not often mentioned is that your decline needs only to be very slight, and should be done very gradually. The reason for this is that the muscles surrounding your vertebrae are there to protect you, and if there is a sudden pull or decompression, your muscles will kick in and try to lock your vertebrae in place as a natural protection mechanism. The goal with decompression is to add just enough pressure to stretch apart the vertebrae without the muscles noticing.