DTS Traction Therapy: What a Session Involves

DTS Traction Therapy applies gentle, cyclical traction to the spine on a motorized table, with harnesses at the pelvis and trunk and clothing left on. The pull builds and releases in cycles rather than holding steady, which is intended to reduce the muscular guarding that a constant pull tends to provoke. There is no twisting and no sudden force.

It suits some disc presentations considerably better than others, so examination precedes the table rather than following it. It is delivered as a course over several weeks and works alongside exercise rather than in place of it. The spinal level being targeted, and what will be re-measured at the end, are the two things that keep a course accountable.

This guide to DTS traction therapy, what a session involves and when traction is not used, is published by Chiropractic Specialty Center, Bukit Damansara (KL) main center: WhatsApp+60 17 269 1873 Call+603 2093 1000

Key Takeaways

  • What it is: Motorized, intermittent traction for the lower back or neck, delivered on a Chattanooga DTS table.
  • What it is for: Selected disc-related and joint-related back and neck problems, after an examination.
  • What the evidence says: A 2023 review of lumbar traction found short-term pain relief in low back pain with nerve-root symptoms, although the quality of that evidence was rated very low to low. Traction is used as one part of a plan.
  • How it is used at CSC: Alongside chiropractic care, physiotherapy and exercise, with a stated review point.

What Happens During a DTS Session

You lie on the table, usually face up, with a harness around the pelvis and another around the lower chest, or with a neck support for the cervical setup. The clinician sets the angle and force for the level being treated, and the table then alternates between pulling and relaxing phases for about 15 to 25 minutes. You should feel a gentle stretch, not pain; tell the clinician if symptoms increase, and the settings are adjusted or the session is stopped. Exercise and other care usually follow in the same visit. DTS traction is available at the Bandar Sri Damansara center.

Traction Therapy Assessment at Two KL Centers

Whether traction suits a particular problem depends on the examination, so a first visit starts with the history and a check of movement, strength, sensation and reflexes, and any imaging brought along is reviewed. If another approach makes more sense, that is said plainly. Directions and hours are on the Bukit Damansara contact page and the Bandar Sri Damansara contact page, and either center can be reached by phone or message:

Who May Be Considered for DTS Traction

Traction may be considered for:

  • Disc-related back or neck pain, including some cases with pain spreading into a leg or arm
  • Back or neck stiffness where joint movement is limited
  • Some age-related changes, such as spondylosis, where unloading eases symptoms

For some disc problems, a more segment-specific decompression table such as RxDecom® may be chosen instead. The choice depends on the level involved and how you respond.

When Traction Is Not Used

Traction is usually avoided, or used only with care, in people with:

  • Pregnancy
  • Marked osteoporosis, or a recent fracture
  • A spinal tumor or infection
  • Spinal instability or significant slippage of one vertebra on another
  • Recent spinal surgery or implanted hardware at the level being treated
  • Rapidly increasing weakness or a change in bladder or bowel control, which need medical attention first

Session Length and Number of Sessions

Sessions usually last 15 to 25 minutes. A course may involve several sessions a week for three to eight weeks, depending on the problem and the response to care. Traction is rarely used on its own at CSC; it is combined with chiropractic care, physiotherapy and exercise, and it is continued only if there is measurable progress at the agreed review point.

What the Research Shows

A 2023 systematic review of lumbar traction found that traction eased pain in the short term in low back pain with nerve-root symptoms, whatever the type or dosage used, although the authors rated the quality of the evidence as very low to low (Vanti et al., 2023). In a retrospective study of 160 patients with lumbar disc disease, those who had motorized traction or spinal decompression added to conventional physiotherapy improved more on pain and disability scores than those who had physiotherapy alone (Adar et al., 2024). At CSC, traction is one part of a plan for selected problems rather than a stand-alone treatment, and its effect is checked at an agreed review point rather than assumed.

Traction After Spinal Surgery

After spinal surgery, traction is only considered once the surgeon has cleared you for activity and the condition is stable, and usually not at a level with implanted hardware. An assessment decides whether traction, a different method, or exercise alone is the better route.

Alongside DTS traction, you may also want to read how the RxDecom device works and about intersegmental traction, which moves the spine one segment at a time on a roller table.

References

  1. Vanti C, Saccardo K, Panizzolo A, Turone L, Guccione AA, Pillastrini P. The effects of the addition of mechanical traction to physical therapy on low back pain? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc. 2023;57(1):3-16.
  2. Adar S, Apaydın O, Dündar U, Toktas H, Yesil H, Eroglu S, Eyvaz N. Comparison of the effectiveness of traditional motorized traction and non-surgical spinal decompression therapy added to conventional physiotherapy for treatment of chronic low back pain. Cureus. 2024;16(9):e69610.
  3. Chiu CC, Chuang TY, Chang KH, et al. The probability of spontaneous regression of lumbar herniated disc: a systematic review. Clin Rehabil. 2015;29(2):184-195.

These references describe traction, decompression and the natural course of lumbar disc herniation in general. None of them evaluates the DTS table specifically or care at Chiropractic Specialty Center.

Costs can be checked before a visit, since CSC publishes its chiropractic fees and physiotherapy fees in full.

The Author of DTS Traction Therapy: What a Session Involves

DTS Traction Therapy: What a Session Involves was written by Yama Zafer, D.C., who has 30+ years in chiropractic and physiotherapy and founded Chiropractic Specialty Center in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.

Last Updated: DTS Traction Therapy: What a Session Involves

DTS Traction Therapy: What a Session Involves was last reviewed and updated on October 3, 2026.

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