Thoracic Traction Can Be Achieved Using “Combined Lumbar Traction with Cervical Traction” Method - as One Intervention

Abstract

Background: Scientific literature is completely devoid of full and clear morphological description of changes in Thoracic Vertebrae (TV) under the effect of full Thoracic Traction (TT), because of the absence of any direct method that can achieve full TT as it exists in Lumbar vertebrae (LV) and Cervical vertebrae (CV). Therefore, it is necessary to create a method that can achieve full TT in order to obtain a clear scientific morphological description of changes in Intervertebral Spaces (IS) at TV: anterior, posterior and central heights, and also anterior/ posterior ratio (A/p) ratio. Objective: to identify the immediate morphological effect of "Combined Lumbar Traction with Cervical Traction" method -as one intervention (CLTCT) on anterior thoracic IS among thirteen thoracic neurological levels: C7-T1, T1-T2, T2-T3, T3-T4, T4-T5, T5-T6, T6-T7, T7-T8, T8-T9, T9-T10, T10-T11, T11-T12, T12-L1,using X-ray images.Methodology:Ten healthy male volunteers randomly were chosen (mean age=23 ±2.63) had lied down on the X-ray machine board from supine position, legs and hands were extended; then after two minutes relaxing; the first anterior view recording was done- as pre measurement, then they conducted CLTCT Method: [Mechanical Sustained Cervical Traction (MSCT) via the medical nonmetallic portable cervical traction devise (Ospine–NTD-500) from Supine position, then immediately a Positional Sustained Lumbar Traction (PSLT) Hip Flexion (HF)] was applied, then the hip was manually extra pulled and rotated as Manual Lumbar Over Traction (MLOT), after holding this position for ten continues minutes; the second anterior view record was done as post measurement. Pre and post measurements were compared and analyzed using the SPSS system. Results indicated that there were statistically significant differences between the pre and post measurements in favor of the post measurements in terms of all the anterior thoracic IS. Conclusion: CLTCT method can significantly achieve full TT, and achieves Whole Spinal Decompression Therapy (WSDT). Recommendations: to publish CLTCT method for performing thoracic traction, and to conduct further similar researches to detect, describe and measure other potential morphological changes in thoracic IS using other available radiologic diagnostic equipment to obtain full description of IS using MRI or CT-scanning machine. Keywords: Combined Lumbar Traction with Cervical Traction Method, Thoracic Traction, Intervertebral Spaces.