Flexion-Distraction Therapy
Gentle, controlled spinal care for back pain, sciatica and restricted movement
Flexion-Distraction Therapy (FDT) is a gentle, hands-on chiropractic technique that uses a specialized treatment table to provide controlled movement, flexion and distraction of the spine.
Rather than using a quick thrust or forceful spinal manipulation, the chiropractor guides the table through slow, repetitive movements while applying specific hands-on contact to the area being treated. This makes flexion-distraction a useful option for people who may benefit from a gentler and more controlled approach to spinal care.
At Ridiculously Well, our chiropractors incorporate flexion-distraction where appropriate as one of a number of treatment options available within individualized chiropractic care.
What can Flexion-Distraction be used for?
Flexion-distraction is most commonly used in the management of lower-back and leg symptoms, although the way it is used depends upon the individual presentation.
It may be considered for people experiencing:
- lower-back pain and stiffness
- sciatica or pain extending into the leg
- disc-related back and leg symptoms
- restricted spinal movement
- degenerative changes and osteoarthritis
- recurring or persistent lower-back problems
- spinal discomfort where stronger manipulation isn’t preferred or appropriate
- stiffness and loss of movement associated with ageing or previous injury.
It can also be particularly useful when someone is uncomfortable with conventional spinal manipulation, or when their presentation calls for a slower and gentler treatment approach.
How does Flexion-Distraction work?
During treatment, you lie comfortably on the specialized flexion-distraction table while the chiropractor controls the movement of different sections of the table.
This allows the spine and surrounding tissues to be moved through gentle, controlled ranges of flexion, distraction and mobilization. The chiropractor can vary the direction, range and amount of movement according to your symptoms, comfort and clinical findings.
Rather than thinking of flexion-distraction as a way of “putting something back into place,” we use it as a way of gently influencing spinal movement, stiffness, sensitivity and the way the surrounding muscles and nervous system respond to movement.
For many people, the treatment feels quite different from a traditional chiropractic adjustment.
A particularly useful option for sciatica and disc-related problems
People experiencing sciatica or disc-related symptoms don’t all present in the same way, and there is no single treatment that is appropriate for everyone.
Where clinically appropriate, flexion-distraction gives our chiropractors another way to work with the lumbar spine without relying on higher-force manipulation. This can be particularly valuable when pain is irritable, movement is restricted, or symptoms extend from the lower back into the buttock or leg.
Importantly, treatment begins with an appropriate history and examination. Symptoms such as sciatica, numbness, tingling or weakness can have different causes, so establishing what is likely to be happening comes before deciding whether flexion-distraction—or chiropractic treatment at all—is suitable.
More than a treatment table
Flexion-distraction is a technique, not a complete treatment philosophy.
Depending on your presentation, our chiropractors may combine it with other forms of joint mobilization or manipulation, soft-tissue treatment, dry needling, movement advice, exercise or rehabilitation.
For someone with a persistent or recurring problem, we may also look beyond the painful area at factors such as strength, mobility, activity levels, previous injuries, physical capacity and the demands being placed on the body.
The aim isn’t simply to make you feel better on the treatment table. Where possible, we want to help you regain comfortable movement, confidence and the capacity to get back to the things that matter to you.
Is Flexion-Distraction right for everyone?
No—and that’s important.
Some people respond very well to flexion-distraction, while another form of treatment or rehabilitation may be more appropriate for someone else. Your chiropractor will consider your symptoms, examination findings, health history, preferences and response to treatment when discussing your options.
If your presentation requires further investigation, imaging, medical assessment or another type of practitioner, we’ll tell you.
If we can help, we will. If we can’t, we’ll point you in the right direction.
Flexion-Distraction at Ridiculously Well
Our chiropractors use flexion-distraction as part of the broader range of hands-on treatment available at Ridiculously Well.
Drs Nik Furse, Debbie Miller & Colin Clarey all have a particular interest in its use for complex and persistent lower-back problems, sciatica, disc-related presentations and degenerative spinal conditions, drawing on more than 75 years of combined clinical experience and their broader interest in recovery from persistent spinal problems.
Gentle doesn’t mean generic
One of the strengths of flexion-distraction is how readily it can be adapted. Treatment can be modified according to your comfort, mobility, symptoms and response, rather than applying the same technique in the same way to everyone.
If you’re dealing with back pain or sciatica, have found stronger spinal treatment uncomfortable, or simply want to know whether flexion-distraction may be an option for you, our chiropractors can assess your presentation and talk you through the choices.
Book Your Appt HERE.