Cervical Traction Protocols

FACET JOINT DYSFUNCTION

Cervical traction may be effective to increase the mobility of the cervical facet joints as long as the cervical spine has been cleared for any of the Recommended for Use information mentioned within the General Guidelines section. Traction may also be more beneficial when used with other modalities such as cold, heat, ultrasound, etc.

SUGGESTED SETTINGS

GENERAL:
Tension: 10 – 30 pounds (may be increased up to 7-10% of patient body weight)
Tension type: Intermittent tension; 2:1 up to 4:1 ratio of tension to rest (e.g. 1-2 minutes on, 30 second rest)
Treatment Time: 10-15 minutes

VARIATIONS:
Upper cervical region = 10 degrees flexion (slide stand in upper most position)
Middle cervical region = 15 degrees flexion (slide stand in middle position)
Lower cervical region = 20 degrees flexion (slide stand in lower most position)
Sustained tension setting: Apply sustained tension to cervical spine with periodic rests during the 10-15 minute treatment time

SESSIONS PER DAY: 1-3

RELATED RESEARCH

Cervical Facet Joint Pain by Spine Universe

The cervical spine is a marvelous and complex structure. It is Is there anything worse than neck pain? If you ask someone who suffers with chronic neck pain, the chances are their reply is a resounding “No”! Neck pain often radiates into the shoulders and upper back and may be accompanied by other symptoms such as headaches and extremity tingling and numbness. Chronic neck pain sufferers may wonder, “What causes neck pain and how can this aggravating pain be stopped?” One cause is dysfunction or disease affecting the cervical facet joints. more