OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of prone and supine lumbar traction in patients with chronic discogenic low back pain. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized control trial. SETTING: Urban physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 124 subjects with chronic low back pain (LBP) and evidence of a degenerative and/or herniated inter-vertebral disk at 1 or more levels of the lumbar spine, who have not our exclusion criteria. INTERVENTION: A 4-week course of lumbar traction, prone or supine in case and control groups consecutively, consisting of six 30-minute sessions every other days, followed by four 30-minute sessions every 3 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The numeric visual pain rating scale and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were completed at pre-intervention and discharge (within 2 weeks of the last visit). RESULTS: A total of 124 subjects completed the treatment protocol. We noted significant improvements for all post-intervention outcome scores when compared with pre-intervention scores (p < 0.01). Also found significant difference between 2 groups in favor of prone traction (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Traction applied in the prone position for 4 weeks was associated with improvements in pain intensity and ODI scores at discharge, in a sample of patients with activity limiting LBP. However, because we lacked a reasonable long time follow-up, we cannot imply a long lasting relationship between the traction and outcome, and a long time follow-up is suggested.

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