Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 2 , Pages 269-274, February 2008

Outcomes After a Prone Lumbar Traction Protocol for Patients With Activity-Limiting Low Back Pain: A Prospective Case Series Study

Presented in part to the Combined Sections of the American Physical Therapy Association, February 26, 2005, Nashville, TN.

  • Paul F. Beattie, PhD, PT, OCS

      Affiliations

    • Program in Physical Therapy, Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests to Paul Beattie, PhD, PT, OCS, Program in Physical Therapy, Dept of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
    • ,
  • Roger M. Nelson, PhD, PT

      Affiliations

    • Expert Clinical Benchmarks LLC, King of Prussia, PA
    • Department of Physical Therapy, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA
    • ,
  • Lori A. Michener, PhD, PT, ATC, SCS

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University—Medical College of Virginia Campus, Richmond, VA
    • ,
  • Joseph Cammarata, DC

      Affiliations

    • Non-Surgical Solutions LLC, Narberth, PA
    • ,
  • Jonathan Donley, DPT

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, Richland-Palmetto Health, Columbia, SC.

Abstract 

Beattie PF, Nelson RM, Michener LA, Cammarata J, Donley J. Outcomes after a prone lumbar traction protocol for patients with activity-limiting low back pain: a prospective, case series study.

Objective

To determine outcomes after administration of a prone lumbar traction protocol.

Design

Prospective, longitudinal, case series.

Setting

Suburban, chiropractic practice.

Participants

A total of 296 subjects with low back pain (LBP) and evidence of a degenerative and/or herniated intervertebral disk at 1 or more levels of the lumbar spine. We excluded patients involved in litigation and those receiving workers’ compensation.

Intervention

An 8-week course of prone lumbar traction, using the vertebral axial decompression (VAX-D) system, consisting of five 30-minute sessions a week for 4 weeks, followed by one 30-minute session a week for 4 additional weeks.

Main Outcome Measures

The numeric pain rating scale and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) were completed at preintervention, discharge (within 2 weeks of the last visit), and at 30 days and 180 days after discharge. Intention-to-treat strategies were used to account for those subjects lost to follow-up.

Results

A total of 250 (84.4%) subjects completed the treatment protocol. On the 30-day follow-up, 247 (83.4%) subjects were available; on the 180-day follow-up, data were available for 241 (81.4%) subjects. We noted significant improvements for all postintervention outcome scores when compared with preintervention scores (P<.01).

Conclusions

Traction applied in the prone position using the VAX-D for 8 weeks was associated with improvements in pain intensity and RMDQ scores at discharge, and at 30 and 180 days after discharge in a sample of patients with activity-limiting LBP. Causal relationships between these outcomes and the intervention should not be made until further study is performed using randomized comparison groups.

Key Words: Back pain, Decompression, Intervertebral disk, Lumbar region, Rehabilitation, Traction, Treatment outcomes

 

 Supported, in part, by a grant from Independence Blue Cross.No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(07)01669-3

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2007.06.778

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 2 , Pages 269-274, February 2008

Article Tools