Spinal Decompression Treatment for herniated discs in the neck or back. Exclusively  available at  Randwick Physiotherapy Centre

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression

Neurosurgeon Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D. has developed a DECOMPRESIVE TRACTION SYSTEM (DTS) that lowers intradiscal pressures, is non-invasive, and has high patient compliance .

Dr. Shealy's research has shown:

• that nutrition in the avascular disc depends on diffusion of collagen precursors, nutrients and oxygen though direct channels in the annulus (30%) and the hyaline end plate (70%) in the vertabrae above and below.
• By lowering the intradiscal pressures, the DTS SYSTEM greatly facilitates this process and accelerates healing in the disc segment. 
• Maximum clinical improvement occurs when treatment is delivered directly to the affected disc. 
• With the DTS System, the treating clinician can make adjustments in the angle of distraction, positioning of the spine, and amounts of force necessary to unload, through distraction and positioning to create the effect of decompression at the specific intervertebral lumbar disc level. 
• The US FDA concluded that the DTS achieves its effects through decompression, that is, unloading due to distraction and positioning of the intervertebral discs and facet joints of the lumbar spine. 
• Regular application of the DTS treatments results in re-modelling of shortened structures by applying end-range movement to the spine in a controlled manner.

Spinal Decompression Treatment Protocol

Prior to treatment patients are assessed in order to find objective clinical signs which will help verification of clinical improvement.
On the first day of treatment, the applied pressure is measured as one half of the person’s body weight minus 5 Kgs.

On thesecond day the pressure equals one half of the person’s body weight.

The pressure placed for the following sessions is equivalent to one half of the patient’s body weight plus an additional 5 Kgs.

The Decompression force is build-up over a 2-minute period to the desired distraction force. Automatically, the optimal distraction weight is maintained for 1 minute, and then the pressure is reduced to 50 % for 20 seconds before the process repeats itself.

The entire treatment process requires 30 minutes.

By the end of the second week patients are instructed in a standard series of exercises to improve their flexibility  and stabilize their lumbosacral and pelvic musculature.

For those patients who are unable to do exercises a program of hydrotherapy based core stability programme is available.