How does it work (in practice)?

Think of the table as a positioning and force-control tool. Your clinician can:

• Unweight or gently lengthen parts of the spine and pelvis using controlled traction.
• Bias movement into flexion/extension, side-bending, or rotation to target a stiff facet joint, an irritable nerve root, or a guarded pelvic ring.
• Blend manual therapy & exercise while you’re supported—e.g., breathing drills, pelvic floor down-training, or neural glides—without you bracing against the table.

Mechanically, traction and positional change can temporarily reduce joint compression and muscle guarding, and may ease neuroforaminal irritation in selected cases (e.g., radicular pain) when used judiciously as part of a broader rehab plan. 

What conditions can it help with?

The table itself isn’t a “treatment”—it’s the platform that can make evidence-based care easier, more precise, and more comfortable. Examples where clinicians often use:

1) Neck pain with radiating arm pain (cervical radiculopathy)

Adding mechanical traction to usual physical therapy can reduce short-term pain and disability for cervical radiculopathy, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis. 

2) Low-back pain with leg symptoms (lumbar radiculopathy/sciatica)

Evidence is mixed overall for traction in low-back pain; however, a 2021 meta-analysis suggests short-term benefits when supine mechanical traction is added to standard PT for lumbar radiculopathy. At the same time, major guidelines do not recommend traction for non-radicular low-back pain. Translation: it can be considered as an adjunct for carefully selected radicular cases, not a cure-all. 

3) Disc herniation care (selected cases)

Modern “decompression” protocols (specialised traction patterns) have shown MRI-measured reductions in herniation volume and symptom improvements in subacute lumbar disc herniation in one randomized trial; other studies suggest similar outcomes to traditional traction when paired with active rehab. The Manuthera is not the same device as those decompression machines, but its multi-axial traction and positioning can support graded unloading while you progress exercise-led recovery. 

4) Stiff thoracic/lumbar segments, facet irritation, and posture-related pain

Because the table lets therapists combine traction with 3-D movement (flexion/side-bend/rotation) and use drop-assists, it can make precise joint and soft-tissue work more comfortable and efficient. 

Why pelvic & pelvic-floor patients may benefit

Pelvic pain is often multifactorial: the lumbar spine, sacroiliac joints, hips, abdominal wall, and the pelvic floor all influence one another. Research shows a high prevalence of pelvic-floor dysfunction among people with lumbopelvic pain, which helps explain why easing lumbopelvic load/irritability can indirectly calm pelvic symptoms. 

Where the table helps:

• Comfortable positioning for pelvic work. Supported sidelying/prone or gentle pelvic tilt with controlled traction can reduce guarding so therapists can treat the pelvic ring, hip rotators, and abdominal wall with less discomfort. (The table’s traction-drop and section controls specifically aim to make hip/pelvic manipulation more diverse and easier.)  
• Down-training an overactive pelvic floor. When spinal or SIJ irritation is addressed and breathing mechanics are optimised in supported positions, many patients find it easier to relax pelvic-floor musculature—making manual therapy and neuromotor retraining more effective. Evidence supports pelvic-floor–focused physiotherapy (manual therapy, exercises, education) for dyspareunia and chronic pelvic pain—the Manuthera simply makes delivering that care more tolerable and precise.  

Bottom line: the table doesn’t treat pelvic-floor disorders by itself, but it amplifies pelvic and lumbopelvic rehab by enabling gentle, sustained positions and fine-tuned therapist input.

What a typical session looks like

1. Assessment first. Your clinician screens for red flags/contraindications and confirms whether traction-assisted positioning makes sense for your presentation.  
2. Set-up & positioning. The table is adjusted to comfort, sometimes adding a light traction bias while the therapist works on joints and soft tissues.  
3. Active rehab. Expect targeted mobility, motor-control, and pelvic-floor strategies (relaxation or strengthening, as appropriate) plus a home plan—because active care drives long-term results.  

Safety, contraindications & who should avoid traction-assisted work

Your therapist should screen first. Situations where traction (not necessarily gentle positioning) is commonly avoided or used with caution include: recent fractures, spinal instability, severe osteoporosis, malignancy/infection, pregnancy for some decompression protocols, or uncontrolled cardiovascular/neurologic disease. Individual factors matter—discuss risks/benefits with your clinician.