Traditional Over Door Traction Units Are Still Recommended By Many Doctors & Therapists For Neck Pain Relief

The numbers of people suffering from neck pain has been on the increase over the last couple of decades and our lifestyles are mostly to blame. The first noticeable cause was in the nineties when computers became part daily work and leisure, while recently tablets, smartphones and laptops have been causing neck problems, which start earlier in life. One of the best ways that health care providers have been able to get patients to use home traction is to prescribe an over door traction device.

These over the door traction devices hook onto any door in the home or office, and consist of a bag containing water, which supplies the pulling power, and a brace that holds your head. It works by pulling your head upwards and into the correct posture. This allows the ligaments and muscles to stretch and hold in the position that they are meant to be in. The counterweight, which is the bag containing the water, can be adjusted over time. It is recommended that to begin with only a couple of pounds of water is used. As you get used to it you can add more water each week.

Although simple in design, these traction devices have been both popular and successful. By forcing your posture to be as it should be, you not only maintain a healthy neck area, but it also helps the whole spine. Although somewhat difficult to set up, must use heavy water bags, and some doors won’t close completely, some people prefer these units.

Sometimes, they can remember a relative using one in the past, or it may be that it is what the doctor or therapist told them to use. Personally, I never recommend these devices because there are too many easy to use traction devices that are much more sophisticated, don’t rely on a head harness, are affordable, and can provide better traction parameters. The water bag units hold about 20 pounds. While this is heavy to lift, the head weighs about 10 pounds, and other units can provide more traction force with more comfort, can be used sitting, standing or lying down

If you don’t recommend them, why do you have them? Because we have doctors that like this type of traction because it is so traditional. I feel they are outdated, but we want to have products available that doctors and therapist might recommend. You can make your own decision on whether you agree that there are more comfortable, easier to use and more effective devices.

Disadvantages Of Using Over Door Traction Units

You are tied to a door, have restricted freedom of motion and must be seated. Just hope the chair doesn’t break or someone quickly opens the door. The water bags can be heavy and messy. They require a bit of effort to set up. So, there are some disadvantages to any type of door assisted traction. But, if your doctor or therapist has recommended these types of devices, they are readily available, just be careful.

Benefits Of Using Over Door Traction Units

I really see no benefit of using these devices over other types; however, it does provide spinal traction. This can assist in the relief of neck pain by decompressing or separating the joints. This can reduce discomfort and stiffness. This decompressive force can help reduce disc bulges or herniations, ease pain from osteoarthritis, and help remove pressure on nerves. It can also help to separate and stretch misaligned joints and can assist in improving neck posture.

Traction helps with neck pain conditions like stiff or sore muscles, military neck or straight spine, poor posture pain syndrome from working at a computer or overuse of texting and mobile devices. If you get headaches, this device can help reduce the intensity and length of headaches. Neck pain is often caused by dehydration of the discs, loss of the normal curve, or lack of motion. Using the device twice a day not only re-establishes and improves motion in the neck, it can rehydrate discs and begin to restore the curve in your neck.