Dr. Vince Leone cites a two-week study comparing spinal decompression traction at 10% versus 50% of body weight. Both protocols produced identical pain relief and functional improvement, suggesting the higher force may be unnecessary.
A lot of the standard thinking for a while is you want to use like 50% of body weight. And actually, some of the newer studies that are coming out are suggesting maybe that much pull isn't necessary. So one of the studies I've read recently, they compared 10% of body weight force versus 50%. It was a very short duration study. They monitored— they did 2 weeks of treatment. Okay. And then at the end of 2 weeks, they saw how each group did. And statistically, they were pretty close as far as pain relief, function, pretty close, no statistical difference, significant difference.
