Friday, June 5, 2009

Methods of Spinal Decompression Including Massage Chairs

Methods of Spinal Decompression Including Massage Chairs

by Claudine Balsells

Traction as used in chiropractic environments, is usually spinal traction. Chiropractors must treat many patients with low back problems. Applying traction to the spine is for the purpose of stretching the soft tissues between the cervical discs to assist in recovery. Traction can be applied by using a bending or pulling force to stretch the soft tissues.

The most common form of spinal traction used is a pulling force. Typically, the patient is laid on their back and their hips are held and a force is exerted on the shoulders and head. A spinal decompression machine is typically used to exert a pulling force on the patient spine by stretching the patient when they are supine.

When using a pulling force across the length of the spine, a spinal decompression machine must stretch each soft tissue area between all the cervical discs simultaneously. Do the soft tissue areas between the cervical discs get stretched equally? The force to affect this traction comes from pulling both ends of the spine.

Inversion therapy is another method commonly used to provide traction of the spine. The basic idea behind inversion therapy is to suspend you upside down by your feet. You can either wear boots or lay flat on an in version bed. With the boots, one must lock them onto a bar which requires a little gymnastics.

Now with inversion therapy the force to elongate the soft tissues is a pulling force. By suspending the individual by their feet, the force of gravity and the weight of the patient are used to apply traction. Inversion boots only apply the full force using the combination of gravity and body weight.

Another method for mechanical traction is with a roller table. Roller tables work by passing a roller underneath the patient's spine. A patient is laid flat on a roller bad. Next, the roller is activated to apply traction across the length of the spine.

When using a roller table, a mechanical force is applied with the use of a roller. The roller causes a bending of the soft tissues. This occurs when the roller passes and causes the cervical disc to deflect. This deflection stretches and elongates the soft tissues.

When a massage chair applies traction to the spine, it is also passing a roller. The roller is activated to go up and down the individuals spine. As the roller moves across the spine it will deflect the cervical discs. This mechanical bending force is used to stretch the soft tissues.

Massage chairs can apply this type of mechanical traction to the spine. They are using gravity as the pulling force over the top of the roller. The roller causes the cervical disc to deflect when the roller passes. The soft tissues are then stretched which is the definition of mechanical traction.

Massage chairs provide a variety of controls for both manual and automatic programs. They can provide a number of different massage techniques and can be focused to very specific regions. They provide a consistent massage to a patient. The force and intensity can also be controlled as well.

A variety of different treatments are provided with a massage chair. Massage chairs have many different massage techniques. These massage techniques can be to target specific muscle groups. They can also be adjusted in intensity. Massage chairs provide consistent massage therapy to patients. Massage also provides patients with other treatments including lower body stretching, heating and music therapy.

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