Since the late 1950’s when Dr. James Cyriax’s work established the practice of using manual traction for the treatment of back and leg pain caused by protruding discs, the use of manual and mechanical traction has steadily gained the confidence of clinicians and the gratitude of chronic pain sufferers. Traction research points to the beneficial effects of traction because it can distract joint surfaces, reduce protrusions of nuclear discal material, stretch soft tissue, relax muscles, and mobilize joints. These effects provide many patients with pain relief from spinal dysfunction. The stimulation of sensory mechanoreceptors that occurs with the application of traction may also gate the transmission of pain.
With patients, clinicians, and third-party payers demanding less invasive, less expensive, non-pharmacological solutions to pain management and spinal dysfunction, the cost of back and neck pain has rocketed to more than $86 Billion annually in the United States alone.
While manual-traction is one of the oldest forms of physical medicine, mechanical traction remained a rather primitive modality done with the aid of a simple motorized pull unit. While other medical equipment became digitized, computerized and user-friendly, mechanical traction fell out of favor with clinicians because of its unsophisticated operating system and cumbersome belting configuration. Through the years, manual traction therapy remained the preference of many clinicians since mechanical traction units were not able to replicate the nuances of a therapist’s gentle pull.
The search for innovative solutions sprung not only from the desire to reduce the risk of job-related injury resulting from the very physical nature of providing manual traction therapy, but also to help the professional clinician better manage their time.
As a result, Hollywog LLC, a Chattanooga, TN based developer and manufacturer of medical devices, is introducing its breakthrough Modpod Traction unit. Modpod is the world’s only clinical device focused 100% on the cervical spine. It’s portable, lightweight and can be used on any stable flat surface. Modpod features a new patented cervical strap designed to suspend and capture the patient below the occipital. This new approach is comfortable and effective. All treatment parameters, including intermittent and static modes, hold and rest times, motor speeds, and pulling forces are precisely controlled and adjusted using a state of art touch screen interface addressing the needs of the patient and offers the clinician stepped-up efficiency and ergonomic design.
The ability to treat a broader range and greater number of patients is critical for clinics as Americans continue to expand in girth and Baby Boomers advance in age. It is estimated that 15 million Americans experience neck pain, according to the American Academy of Pain Medicine. Although the causes of neck pain are many, a range of recent studies point to spinal traction—especially when combined with other modalities—as being more effective for reducing neck pain and returning patients to their usual activities.
The most likely candidates for Modpod traction therapy are patients with:
- Radicular pain
- Protruding discs
- Bulging discs
- Prolapsed discs
- Degenerative disc disease
- Posterior facet syndrome
- Acute facet problems
- Spinal root impingement
- Hypomobility
- Degenerative joint disease
- Facet syndrome
- Joint pain
- Discogenic pain
- Compression fractures
Modpod Cervical Traction provides software designed to store clinical protocols for fast, simple, and repeatable setup, getting the patient into the therapist’s hands sooner for consistent treatment, session-to-session and tech-to-tech.
Increased patient comfort is achieved through progression and regression. While not new, this method can be used in either static or intermittent modes. Additionally, programmable hold and rest times enable a more case-specific traction experience.
