Intersegmental traction therapy in Burnsville, MN — a gentle motorized roller table that mobilizes the spine, eases stiffness, and warms up the joints before adjustments.
Eagle Trace Spine & Sport
Intersegmental Traction Therapy in Burnsville
Stiff, achy spines often move better with a little gentle motion. Intersegmental traction therapy at Eagle Trace Spine & Sport uses a motorized roller table to slowly stretch and mobilize your spine, one segment at a time. It's relaxing, completely passive, and a comfortable way to loosen up the back and neck — on its own or as a warm-up before an adjustment here in Burnsville.
What to expect with intersegmental traction therapy
Step 1
Confirm it fits your spine
Dr. Plaster reviews your history and exam findings to make sure gentle motorized traction is appropriate — and rules out the situations where a low-force roller table isn't the right tool.
Step 2
Relax on the roller table
You lie back while slow-moving rollers travel along your spine, gently mobilizing each segment. Sessions are comfortable, passive, and typically last only a few minutes with no downtime.
Step 3
Combine with care that lasts
We use intersegmental traction to warm up and loosen the spine alongside adjustments, decompression, and rehab — so the mobility you gain on the table carries into the rest of your plan.
Why patients choose it
Benefits of intersegmental traction therapy
Gentle, passive, and completely low-force
Encourages motion in stiff or restricted spinal joints
May improve circulation to discs and surrounding soft tissue
Helps relax tight muscles along the spine
A comfortable warm-up before chiropractic adjustments
No drugs, no needles, and no downtime
Pairs naturally with decompression and rehab
The basics
About intersegmental traction therapy
Intersegmental traction is a passive therapy delivered by a "roller table." You lie face-up on a padded surface while a set of rollers moves slowly up and down beneath you, following the natural curves of your spine. As each roller passes, it gently flexes and stretches the joints between your vertebrae — the intersegmental joints that give the therapy its name.
The slow, rhythmic motion is thought to encourage movement in stiff or restricted spinal joints, ease tight muscles, and improve circulation to the discs and soft tissues that surround the spine. Spinal discs rely on movement to draw in fluid and nutrients, so gentle mobilization may help keep them healthier. Most patients find the table deeply relaxing, and because it's passive and low-force, it often pairs naturally with chiropractic adjustments and decompression as part of a broader plan.
What is intersegmental traction therapy?
Intersegmental traction therapy is a gentle, passive treatment delivered by a motorized “roller table.” You lie back while a set of rollers moves slowly along the length of your spine, flexing and mobilizing each segment in turn. It’s used to encourage motion in stiff joints, relax tight muscles, and warm up the spine — drug-free and comfortable.
How it works
Your spine is made up of vertebrae stacked with small joints and cushioning discs between them. When those segments get stiff or restricted, the surrounding muscles tighten and the discs lose some of the gentle movement they rely on to stay healthy.
As you rest on the roller table, the rollers travel slowly up and down beneath you, following the natural curves of your back. Each pass produces a soft, rhythmic stretch that:
Mobilizes the spinal joints — the slow rolling motion is thought to coax stiff or restricted segments through a gentle range of movement.
Relaxes the surrounding muscles — the rhythmic stretch can help tight paraspinal muscles let go, easing the tension that often accompanies a stiff spine.
Encourages circulation to the discs — spinal discs draw in fluid and nutrients through movement, so gentle mobilization may support the soft tissues around the spine.
Because the table does the work for you, it’s often used to warm up and loosen the spine at the start of a visit — or as a soothing complement to other care.
What to expect during a session
There’s nothing to do but relax. You lie face-up on the padded table, and the rollers begin moving slowly along your spine. Most patients describe the sensation as a gentle, massage-like stretch that travels up and down the back — there’s no sharp pulling and no force. A typical session lasts only a few minutes, and there’s no downtime afterward, so you can drive yourself home and get on with your day.
At our Burnsville clinic, intersegmental traction is usually one part of a visit rather than the whole appointment. Dr. Jeff Plaster often uses it to loosen the spine before a chiropractic adjustment, so the joints move more freely when it’s time for hands-on care.
Conditions it can help
Intersegmental traction is most useful for spinal stiffness and as a complement to care for a range of mechanical spine problems, including:
It works best as a supporting therapy. For disc-related and nerve-compression problems, it’s commonly paired with spinal decompression, which targets a specific disc with computer-controlled traction, while the roller table provides broader, gentler mobilization across the whole spine.
Why choose Eagle Trace Spine & Sport
Patients from Burnsville, Savage, Apple Valley, Lakeville, and across the south metro choose us because we build complete, sensible plans instead of relying on any single tool. Dr. Jeff Plaster uses intersegmental traction where it fits — to loosen and prepare the spine — alongside chiropractic care, spinal decompression, and corrective care so you’re addressing both the stiffness and the mechanics behind it.
Curious whether a gentle roller-table session belongs in your plan? Visit our new patients page or contact us to schedule an evaluation in Burnsville.
What it helps
Conditions we treat with intersegmental traction therapy
Still have questions? Contact us — we're happy to help.
What is intersegmental traction therapy?+
It's a passive treatment using a motorized "roller table." You lie back while rollers move slowly along your spine, gently flexing and mobilizing each segment to encourage motion, relax muscles, and warm up the spine before or alongside adjustments.
What does the roller table feel like?+
Most patients find it relaxing — a slow, rolling stretch that travels up and down the back as you lie comfortably. There's no pulling or sharp pressure, and many people describe it as a gentle, soothing massage-like motion.
How long does a session take?+
Sessions are short, usually just a few minutes. Because intersegmental traction is passive and low-force, you simply rest on the table while it works. There's no downtime afterward, so you can return to your day right away.
Is intersegmental traction the same as spinal decompression?+
No. Decompression uses computer-controlled traction to create negative pressure inside a specific disc. A roller table instead provides broad, gentle mobilization across the whole spine. The two are often used together as part of one plan.
What conditions can a roller table help with?+
It's often used for general spinal stiffness, back pain, and neck pain, and as a complement to care for disc irritation or pinched nerves. It works best alongside adjustments and rehab rather than as a standalone fix.
Is roller table therapy safe?+
It's a gentle, low-force, non-invasive therapy that's well tolerated by most patients. Dr. Plaster screens for the few situations where motorized traction isn't appropriate during your exam, so it's only used when it's a good fit.
“The best chiropractor and massage therapist I have ever been to! My mom was suffering from neck and back pain for several months; she got relief in just one visit! Thank you to Dr. Jeff and the massage therapist! The atmosphere is great, the staff is very friendly, and the place is welcoming! Highly recommend! Thank you all!”
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“Dr. Jeff is the man. Very transparent and professional, and fun to talk to. Whole staff is very friendly and focused, and theyll make you feel at home.”
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“I’m a career firefighter and have suffered from a back injury from the job for the last 8 years. I was sent to a chiropractor years ago after reinjuring my back, initially I felt a little relief from my injury, but it never really went away and after 3 years of going to them I wasn’t getting better. I started to think I was going to spend the rest of my life with some degree of back pain. I stumbled across Dr Jeff at my daughters gymnastics class and we started talking about my injury. He invited me to his practice to see how he could help relive my pain. Within the first week I was feeling better than I had felt in 8 years since my initial back injury, week 2 was continued progress in reducing my pain to almost nothing. The truest test of his great work has been how good I’ve felt after shoveling and snow blowing after these last few storms. Dr Jeff’s multiple disciplines in chiropractic care and ability to customize your treatments to best suit your injury, coupled with his genuine care and concern are Amazing! When you tell him how your feeling from visit to visit he is listening and using your input to to maximize the output of your care. This is Good Ole Fashioned Service, his whole office has a great attitude and do their Best to work with you.”
