Intersegmental Traction in Victoria, MN
Content Reviewed by: Dr. Nathan Servey, D.C. on November 2, 2026
Minnesota Chiropractic License Number: 6295 (NPI: 1932647294)
What Is Intersegmental Traction?
Intersegmental traction is a passive spinal therapy delivered on a specialized table fitted with rolling, wave-like contact points that move along the length of the spine. As the rollers travel beneath you, they gently lift and separate each vertebral segment in sequence, creating a rhythmic mobilization of the spinal joints.
The movement promotes circulation within the discs, which have no direct blood supply and rely on mechanical motion to receive nutrients and expel waste. By repeatedly cycling the spine through slight distraction and release, intersegmental traction helps restore disc hydration, reduce muscle guarding, and improve the overall flexibility of the spinal column.
At Power of Life Chiropractic and Holistic Health, intersegmental traction is used as a supportive component of chiropractic care plans, most often as a warm-up before adjustments or as a recovery tool when muscle tension is limiting progress. Treatment is recommended only after evaluation confirms it fits the patient’s presentation.
What Intersegmental Traction Can Help With
Intersegmental traction supports several treatment goals, depending on what is driving the patient’s symptoms and how their case has been evaluated.
Reducing muscle guarding and spasm.
Tight paraspinal muscles often develop as a protective response to joint restriction or disc irritation. The rhythmic motion of traction can reduce that guarding, making the spine more receptive to adjustment and reducing the overall tension patients carry between visits.
Improving spinal flexibility.
Repeated gentle mobilization of the vertebral segments restores motion to segments that have become stiff from prolonged sitting, poor posture, or long-standing spinal dysfunction. Patients often notice an easier range of motion after consistent traction sessions.
Supporting disc health and hydration.
Spinal discs do not have a direct blood supply. They receive nutrients and expel metabolic waste through the movement of fluid driven by mechanical loading and unloading. Intersegmental traction supports this process, which is particularly relevant for patients managing disc-related conditions.
Enhancing the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments.
When the paraspinal muscles are relaxed and the spine is more mobile before an adjustment, the adjustment tends to be more precise and the correction tends to hold longer. Many patients in our clinic receive traction as a standard pre-adjustment step.
Reducing tension-related discomfort.
For patients whose back or neck pain has a significant muscle tension component, traction provides a period of supported, comfortable movement that many describe as immediately relieving. It requires no active effort and is suitable for patients across a wide range of presentations.
Conditions We Treat With Intersegmental Traction
Intersegmental traction is most commonly used for conditions involving chronic muscle tension, disc-related symptoms, or spinal stiffness that is limiting recovery from chiropractic care. Each condition below may benefit when the clinical evaluation confirms traction is appropriate.
Who Intersegmental Traction Is For
Intersegmental traction is appropriate for a wide range of patients because it is passive, comfortable, and low-risk. It is particularly well suited for those dealing with chronic back or neck tension that limits daily activity, patients with disc-related symptoms who need spinal mobility support alongside their adjustments, and individuals who experience muscle guarding that makes their chiropractic adjustments feel difficult to maintain.
It is also a good fit for patients recovering from motor vehicle accidents where paraspinal muscle tightness and restricted spinal motion are common presenting features, and for wellness patients looking to maintain spinal flexibility as part of an ongoing care plan.
You may be a good fit for intersegmental traction if you experience persistent stiffness after sitting or sleeping, your back pain tends to improve with movement but returns with rest, you have been told you have disc degeneration or disc-related symptoms, or your chiropractic adjustments are not holding as long as expected.
If you are unsure whether traction is right for your situation, a complimentary consultation will clarify whether it fits your current presentation.
How Power of Life Provides Intersegmental Traction
Intersegmental traction at Power of Life Chiropractic and Holistic Health is delivered on purpose-built traction tables with adjustable roller speed and pressure settings. Before a session begins, the treating doctor reviews your current presentation and adjusts the settings to match your anatomy, comfort, and care goals.
We confirm that traction is appropriate for your presentation before beginning. Patients with certain fractures, acute disc herniations, or instability may require a modified approach or a different therapy. Your safety and comfort guide every decision.
Sessions typically run 10 to 15 minutes. The patient lies face-up on the table while the rollers move slowly and rhythmically along the spine. Most patients find the experience comfortable and relaxing.
Traction is usually delivered immediately before a chiropractic adjustment. The pre-adjustment relaxation it produces allows for more precise corrections and tends to improve how well the adjustment holds between visits.
What to Expect at Your First Intersegmental Traction Visit
Your first traction session is part of a broader chiropractic care appointment, not a standalone procedure. Before anything begins, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation to confirm your diagnosis and make sure traction is clinically appropriate for your presentation. When it’s time for the session, we explain what to expect, position you comfortably on the table, and adjust the roller speed and pressure to suit your body and tolerance — nothing happens without your understanding of what’s involved. You’ll relax face-up while the rollers move slowly along your spine for roughly 10 to 15 minutes; most patients describe it as comfortable, similar to a moving massage along the back. Depending on what your body needs that day, traction may come before or after your chiropractic adjustment — the two work together, and we’ll sequence them in whatever order best supports your care. Afterward, we check in on how you responded, answer any questions, and confirm the role of traction in your ongoing plan.
What Our Patients Are Saying
Patients from across Victoria and the surrounding area regularly comment on how much better they feel after intersegmental traction as part of their chiropractic care.
Related Services That Work Alongside Intersegmental Traction
Intersegmental traction works best as part of a complete chiropractic care plan rather than in isolation. Most patients receiving traction are also under active chiropractic care for back pain, neck pain, disc injuries, or sciatica. Patients with whole-body or nutritional contributors to their spinal health may also benefit from our Functional Medicine services to address systemic factors alongside the structural work.
Functional Medicine
Nutrition Response Testing and personalized nutritional protocols to find the root cause of chronic health concerns.
Pediatric Care
Gentle, ICPA-certified chiropractic for infants and children at every developmental stage.
Pregnancy Care
Webster-certified prenatal chiropractic to support pelvic alignment and comfort throughout every trimester.
Wellness Care
Maintenance and preventative care plans that keep the spine and nervous system functioning well over time.
Chiropractic Care
Spinal and extremity adjustments that restore joint motion and support nervous system function for pain relief and wellness.
Car Accident Care
Chiropractic evaluation and treatment for whiplash, spinal trauma, and soft tissue injuries from motor vehicle accidents.
Serving Victoria, Waconia, Chaska, and the Southwest Metro
Power of Life Chiropractic and Holistic Health is located at 1700 Stieger Lake Ln, Victoria, MN 55386. We provide intersegmental traction and chiropractic care for patients from Victoria, Waconia, Chaska, Chanhassen, Minnetrista, Carver, and the surrounding southwest metro.
Meet The Team
Dr. Kandace Johnson, D.C.
Owner, Chiropractor & NRT PractitionerDr. Kandace Johnson is a Partner and the founder of Power of Life Chiropractic and Holistic Health. She realized, through her own health challenge (IBS & Migraines) that finding the CAUSE to symptoms is the most effective approach to healing.
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Dr. Nathan Servey, D.C
Owner & ChiropractorDr. Nathan Servey is an owner and partner at Power of Life and a graduate of Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, where he earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree.
Learn MoreSources and Clinical References
The references below provide the closest credible evidence for traction-based conservative care. Direct research on rolling intersegmental traction tables is limited.
Source: Cochrane / PubMed: Traction for Low-Back Pain With or Without Sciatica — Supports: evidence on traction for low back pain and sciatica, including the finding that broad clinical benefits are generally limited.
Source: PubMed Central: Mechanical Traction for Lumbar Disc Herniation — Meta-Analysis — Supports: research context for mechanical traction in selected lumbar disc herniation populations.
Source: Cleveland Clinic: Spinal Decompression Therapy — Supports: patient-friendly distinctions between surgical and nonsurgical traction/decompression approaches and the need for clinical selection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Intersegmental Traction
Book Intersegmental Traction in Victoria, MN
If chronic spinal tension is limiting how well you feel and how well your adjustments hold, intersegmental traction may be a missing piece. Power of Life Chiropractic and Holistic Health offers traction as part of a complete chiropractic care plan. Book a complimentary consultation to find out whether it is the right fit for your situation.