Cox Flexion Distraction
Cox Flexion Distraction is a non-surgical, doctor-controlled, hands-on approach for patients seeking relief of their lower back pain. The protocols are safe, gentle, and well-researched and documented. Flexion-distraction and decompression helps relieve spinal pain and return patients to their desired quality of life by …
- dropping intra-discal pressure to as low as -192mm Hg
- widening the spinal canal foraminal area by 28%
- reducing pressure on the spinal nerves
- returning motion to the spinal joints
The technique is appropriate for many conditions causing low back and leg pain such as:
- disc herniation
- a slipped disc
- a ruptured disc
- facet syndrome
- stenosis
- spondylolisthesis
- other conditions…
The Cox Flexion Distraction Technique (also referred to as the Cox® Technic) was developed by Dr. James M. Cox as a gentle, non-force adjustment procedure to help the spine heal naturally. It is based on principles of both chiropractic and osteopathy, a combination that often provides fast relief from low back and leg pain, without the need for surgery.
The goal of Flexion Distraction is to decompress the vertebrae by applying gentle stretching or traction to the lower spine. The Cox Flexion Distraction technique is performed on a special table (designed by Dr. Cox), which has moving parts to effectively separate the different parts of the spine. The Cox Table has movable sections to separately support the head and legs, allowing the patient to flex in many directions and thus extend the spine. The combination of this special adjustment table and very gentle pressure utilizes flexion-distraction and decompression to increase the disc height between vertebrae, decompressing the spinal column and restoring the spinal joints to their proper alignment and range of motion. The chiropractor can adjust the different sections of the table to neutralize the effects of gravity and then apply gentle pressure to the affected areas as they move through a more normal range of motion. Movements are repetitive and usually slow, without any quick thrusts or undue pressure.