Spinal decompression.Non-surgical. Doctor-controlled.
Spinal decompression means creating space between two vertebrae so pressure comes off a loaded disc and the nerve root beside it. At Uprise we deliver it on a Cox flexion-distraction table — slow, repeated cycles guided by hand at the exact segment involved, with no thrust, no twisting and no cracking.
Book online 24/7
How spinal decompression works
Under compression, the disc is squeezed and presses on the nerve.
Decompression gently draws the vertebrae apart.
Space opens. Pressure eases, and fluid flows back into the disc.
Uprise Chiropractic · Byford
If a disc is bulging, a nerve root is irritated, or a lumbar joint is being compressed every time you sit or stand, the mechanical problem is the same: not enough space. Decompression is the attempt to give that space back — gently, and without surgery.
The version we use at Uprise is Cox flexion-distraction. You lie face-down on a table whose lower section drops and lengthens in slow cycles while Dr Norris contacts the specific level that needs help. The force, the angle and the level are set by hand and adjusted in real time, rather than a motor applying the same pull to your whole lower back regardless of what is going on inside it.
Decompression is almost never used on its own. It usually sits inside a wider plan alongside hands-on adjusting, soft-tissue work and specific home movement — and it is often the first tool we reach for when someone arrives with sciatica or lower back pain that has not settled with rest.
It is also not for everyone, and we will say so.
Cauda equina signs, progressive weakness, unexplained weight loss, suspected fracture and a handful of other findings need imaging or a medical referral rather than a table — and if that is what we find, we will arrange it the same day and tell you plainly why.
When decompression is worth considering
The problems it is built for
- Lumbar disc bulge or herniation, with or without leg pain
- Sciatica — pain, pins and needles or numbness travelling below the buttock
- Spinal stenosis, where standing and walking bring symptoms on and sitting eases them
- Lower back pain that flares with sitting, bending or getting out of the car
- Spines too irritable, too osteoporotic or too anxious for a traditional thrust adjustment
- People who have been told surgery is the next step and want to try conservative care first
What “spinal decompression” actually means
Between each pair of vertebrae sits a disc and, either side of it, an opening the nerve root travels through. When the disc loses height or bulges backwards, that opening narrows and the nerve gets crowded — which is why a lower-back problem can be felt as pain down the leg. Decompression is any technique that aims to increase the space at that level and reduce the load being carried by the disc.
The term gets used loosely. It is applied to surgical procedures, to motorised traction tables, to inversion tables sold online, and to manual techniques performed by hand. They are not equivalent, and it is worth knowing which one you are actually being offered before you commit to a course of care.
How we do it at Uprise
Cox flexion-distraction
Our decompression is delivered on a Cox flexion-distraction table. The table is segmented: the lower half drops, flexes and lengthens while Dr Norris keeps a hand contact on the specific vertebra being treated. Each cycle lasts a few seconds, and a set runs for a short period before a rest — typically several sets in a session.
The reason we use a doctor-controlled table rather than a motorised one is simple: your spine does not behave the same way on every visit. Being able to change the depth, the angle and the level mid-session, in response to what the tissue is doing under the hand, is the part a preset program cannot replicate. Uprise is one of the few clinics in the Byford area with a dedicated flexion-distraction table.
There is no thrust and no cavitation — nothing “cracks”. If your plan also includes traditional Diversified or Gonstead adjusting at other levels, that is discussed and consented to separately.
See it for yourself
How we use spinal decompression at Uprise
Dr Norris Leung delivering Cox flexion-distraction in our Byford treatment room. The lower section of the table drops and lengthens in slow cycles while his hand stays on the segment being treated. No thrust, no twisting, nothing cracks.
Common reasons people come in for decompression
Disc pain and bulges
Pressure on the disc itself.
Wear and tear in the discs
The changes that come with age.
Sciatica and nerve pain
Pain, pins and needles or numbness down the leg.
A neck or back that won’t settle
Tightness that keeps coming back.
Stiffness after surgery
Where your surgeon or GP is happy for you to.
Knowing what you are being offered
Decompression, surgery, machines and inversion tables
Versus surgery
Surgical decompression — a discectomy or laminectomy — physically removes tissue that is crowding the nerve. It is the right answer for some people, particularly where there is progressive neurological loss. Conservative care is generally trialled first for uncomplicated disc-related pain, and our role is to run that trial properly and to recognise quickly when it is not the right path for you.
Versus motorised decompression machines
A motorised table applies a programmed pull to a region. It is consistent and repeatable, which is its strength. What it cannot do is respond segment by segment to the spine in front of it. We have chosen the hand-controlled approach; other clinics have chosen differently, and both are legitimate.
Versus inversion tables at home
An inversion table hangs you upside down and lets gravity pull on the entire spine at once. There is no targeting, no clinical supervision, and the head-down position is not appropriate for people with high blood pressure, glaucoma, heart conditions or a range of other issues. It is not a substitute for an assessment.
What a course of care looks like
A plan built on findings, reviewed as you go
01
Your first visit
Your first visit is an assessment, not a treatment production line: history, orthopaedic and neurological testing, movement screening and a review of any imaging you already have. Dr Norris then explains what he found in plain language and sets out a care plan built around those findings — how often, roughly how long, and what we will be reviewing along the way.
02
The sessions
Decompression sessions themselves are short and comfortable, and because the technique is low-force it can usually be started from the first treatment visit even during an acute episode.
03
Reviewing progress
We reassess at set points against the things that matter to you — how far you can walk, how long you can sit, whether the leg symptoms are retreating up the leg rather than down it — so you can judge for yourself whether it is working.
Open seven days, including evenings, Saturdays and Sundays. No referral needed. Watch the technique in action here, or read more about how decompression compares to inversion tables and surgery.
Frequently asked questions
Questions we get asked most
Is spinal decompression the same as traction?
They are related but not the same. Traction usually means a sustained pull applied to a whole region of the spine. The decompression we use is segment-specific and rhythmic — the table is guided by hand at the level involved, in short repeated cycles, with the force adjusted in response to how your spine is behaving on the day.
Do you use a motorised decompression machine such as a DRX9000?
No. At Uprise, non-surgical decompression is delivered on a Cox flexion-distraction table, which is doctor-controlled rather than motor-driven. We think being clear about that matters more than marketing a brand name — you should know exactly what you are booking.
Does spinal decompression hurt?
It is designed to be comfortable. There is no thrust, no twisting and no cavitation, and most patients describe a gentle stretching or pulling sensation through the lower back. If anything is uncomfortable we stop and adjust the setup — nothing happens on the table without your consent.
How many sessions does spinal decompression take?
That depends entirely on what the assessment finds, how long the problem has been there and how your body responds. Rather than quote a fixed number up front, Dr Norris sets out a care plan built around your assessment findings — how often, roughly how long, and what we are reviewing — and reassesses at set points so you can see whether it is working.
Is it safe if I have osteoporosis, or if I have had back surgery?
Low-force decompression is often an appropriate option where thrust techniques are not, and it is used routinely with older patients. Previous spinal surgery, fusion hardware, significant osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis and some other conditions do change what is appropriate, so we go through your history, medications and any imaging before anything is done.
Book online in under 60 seconds. Open 7 days, including evenings, Saturdays and Sundays.
Book online 24/7Serving Byford, Mundijong, Armadale, Kelmscott, Piara Waters, Harrisdale, Haynes & Hilbert, Serpentine & Jarrahdale, Cardup, Seville Grove and surrounding suburbs — see all locations.