Manual Traction Technique

Manual Traction Technique:

When your physical therapist decides to apply manual cervical traction to treat your neck pain, he or she should explain the procedure to you so you know what to expect. If you have any questions, you should ask your physical therapist before starting.

Manual cervical traction is applied to your neck while you are lying down on your back. You should be resting comfortably on a treatment table, and your head should be near one end of the table. Your physical therapist will then gently hold the back of your neck with one hand. You should feel your therapist's hand near the base of your skull.

Your physical therapist will then cup his or her other hand underneath your chin. This allows your therapist to have good control over the position of your head and neck. Your physical therapist will then gently lean back to provide the traction force to your neck. No forceful tugging of pulling should occur. A slow and gradual traction force is applied and held for 5-10 seconds, and then the traction is gradually released.

You should expect your physical therapist to ask you questions about your symptoms while providing the traction to your neck. If your pain is decreasing while receiving the traction, your physical therapist will likely continue with slow, rhythmic pulls on your neck.

If your symptoms are not changing, your physical therapist may choose to slightly alter the ankle of traction to your neck by raising or lowering your neck a few inches. Be sure to tell your physical therapist what you are feeling while he or she is applying the manual cervical traction to maximize the benefit of the treatment.