No Cookie-Cutter Roller Table Plans: How We Decide When to Use IST

Written by: Dr. Ron Losiewicz, D.C. | Denver Car Crash Doctor

What Is Intersegmental Traction?

Intersegmental traction—commonly called the “roller table”—is a therapeutic modality used in chiropractic care to gently mobilize the spine without requiring any effort from you. You lie face-up on a cushioned table while a series of rollers move slowly beneath your back, creating a wave-like motion that stretches spinal ligaments and encourages movement in each vertebral segment.

For car accident patients, IST can be helpful. The passive motion may reduce muscle spasms, support disc hydration through a process called imbibition, and break up adhesions that form during the inflammatory phase of healing. It’s often used for whiplash-associated disorders, thoracic strain, and lumbar soft tissue injuries.

But here’s what most chiropractic offices won’t tell you: intersegmental traction isn’t necessary for every patient. At Injury Recovery Center, we don’t believe in cookie-cutter treatment plans. Dr. Ron Losiewicz evaluates each patient individually and makes deliberate decisions about when IST will help—and when it won’t.

How We Decide If You Need the Roller Table

Dr. Ron doesn’t believe in running every patient through the same checklist. When you come to Injury Recovery Center after a car accident, the first priority is understanding your injury, your pain tolerance, and what your body is ready for.

Here’s what influences the decision to use intersegmental traction when appropriate:

Your injury type. If you have acute whiplash with severe muscle guarding, IST can help relax the paraspinal muscles before Dr. Ron performs manual chiropractic care, always hands-on, never aggressive. But if you have suspected ligamentous instability or an acute fracture, IST would be contraindicated until imaging confirms it’s safe.

Your pain level. Some patients find the rolling motion deeply relaxing. Others experience discomfort if the rollers press too hard on inflamed tissues. Dr. Ron calibrates the roller height and asks for feedback throughout the session. If it doesn’t feel right, we stop immediately.

Your stage of recovery. In the early inflammatory phase (the first 72 hours to two weeks post-accident), some patients need rest and gentle care more than mechanical traction. IST is often introduced once acute inflammation has subsided and the goal shifts to restoring mobility and preventing long-term stiffness.

Your comfort and consent. If you’re anxious about the table, if you don’t understand how it works, or if you simply don’t want it—we don’t use it. Dr. Ron explains every option and lets you decide what feels right. It’s your body. You’re the boss.

This approach takes more time. It requires listening, explaining, and adjusting the plan as you heal. That’s boutique car accident chiropractic care—and that’s the standard at Injury Recovery Center.

Unsure if intersegmental traction is right for your injury? Call us for a free consultation—Dr. Ron will walk you through your options with zero pressure.

The Science: Why IST Works for Car Accident Injuries

When you’re injured in a car accident, the sudden impact creates forces that damage soft tissues, strain ligaments, and cause muscles along your spine to lock up in protective spasm. Over time, restricted motion leads to scar tissue formation, reduced disc nutrition, and joint stiffness.

Intersegmental traction addresses these issues at a physiological level:

Disc imbibition (the “pumping” effect). Spinal discs are avascular—they don’t have their own blood supply and rely on movement to draw in fluid and nutrients. The gentle oscillation created by IST mimics the natural compression-decompression cycle that occurs when you walk. This “pumping” action may support disc hydration and accelerate healing.

Reduction of muscle spasms. The rhythmic pressure from the rollers can stimulate mechanoreceptors in the paraspinal muscles, which may help interrupt the pain-spasm-pain cycle. This is especially helpful for patients with chronic muscle guarding after whiplash.

Restoration of spinal mobility. Each vertebral motion segment needs to move independently. When one segment becomes fixated due to injury, adjacent segments compensate and become hypermobile. IST reintroduces passive motion to fixated segments, which may help prevent long-term stiffness and degenerative changes.

Breaking up adhesions. Scar tissue forms naturally during the healing process, but excessive adhesions can restrict movement. The stretching motion of IST may help break up these adhesions without the force or discomfort of aggressive manual therapy.

This isn’t fringe theory—it’s basic biomechanics applied carefully. But the key is knowing when and how to apply it, and that requires clinical judgment, not a timer and a protocol sheet.

What to Expect During Your Session

If Dr. Ron determines that IST is appropriate for your recovery plan, here’s what the experience looks like:

You lie face-up on the traction table, fully clothed. The table surface is padded and contoured to support your natural spinal curves. Some tables include built-in vibration or gentle heat to enhance relaxation.

Dr. Ron adjusts the roller height based on your body size and pain tolerance. The rollers begin at the base of your spine and move slowly upward, creating a wave-like massage effect. The motion is passive—you don’t have to do anything except breathe and relax.

A typical session lasts 10 to 15 minutes. Some patients describe it as deeply soothing, almost meditative. Others feel a mild stretch or pressure as the rollers move over tender areas. If anything feels wrong, you signal Dr. Ron immediately, and the session stops.

IST is often used before a manual adjustment to “warm up” the spine and reduce muscle tension. In some cases, Dr. Ron combines it with electrical muscle stimulation or therapeutic exercises as part of a broader treatment plan.

The goal is never to push through pain. The goal is to support your body’s natural healing process at a pace that feels safe and sustainable.

Is It Safe Right After a Car Accident?

This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the answer depends entirely on the nature of your injury.

Some acute fractures and severe osteoporosis may be contraindicated. Dr. Ron will provide a detailed clinical evaluation to determine the need.

If your injuries are soft tissue-based—whiplash, muscle strains, mild disc bulges—IST can typically be introduced within the first few weeks, once acute inflammation has subsided. The keyword is “typically.” Dr. Ron assesses each case individually.

Some patients tolerate IST well, even in the early stages of recovery. Others need more time. There’s no arbitrary rule that says “all car accident patients get the roller table on day three.” That’s assembly-line thinking, and it’s exactly what we avoid.

If you have concerns about whether IST is safe for your specific injury, ask Dr. Ron. He’ll explain the rationale behind every treatment decision and give you the autonomy to say yes or no.

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When We Skip the Roller Table—And Why That’s Okay

Here’s something most chiropractic offices won’t admit: sometimes the best treatment plan doesn’t include intersegmental traction.

Dr. Ron has treated thousands of car accident patients over two decades, and he’s learned that trust and individualization matter more than any single modality. There are situations where he deliberately chooses not to use IST:

When a patient is too acute. If your muscles are so inflamed that even light pressure causes pain, IST can do more harm than good. In these cases, we take baby steps and build trust first with rest, ice, and gentle manual therapy.

When the primary issue is neurological. If you’re experiencing significant numbness, tingling, or radiating pain down your arms or legs, the priority is diagnostic imaging and possible referral to a neurologist or orthopedic specialist—not passive traction.

When a patient is anxious or unsure. Some patients come in after bad experiences at high-volume clinics where they were rushed through “treatments” they didn’t understand. Dr. Ron builds trust before introducing any modality. If you’re not comfortable with IST, he won’t push it.

When simpler interventions are working. If targeted manual adjustments, therapeutic exercises, and home care are achieving the desired results, there’s no need to add another modality just because “it’s part of the protocol.”

This is what personalized care looks like. It’s not about using every tool in the toolbox. It’s about using the right tools at the right time for the right patient.

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How IST Fits Into Your Complete Recovery Plan

At Injury Recovery Center, intersegmental traction therapy is never a standalone treatment. It’s one component of a coordinated recovery plan that may include:

• Manual chiropractic care, always hands-on, never aggressive
• Therapeutic exercises to restore strength and proprioception
• Shockwave therapy for persistent soft tissue pain and evaluation with BESS balance testing and VOMS vestibular ocular motor screening.
• Concussion diagnostics using VITAL CNS neurocognitive testing
• Referrals to physical therapy, neurology, orthopedics, or pain management when appropriate

Dr. Ron operates as a hub in a medical-legal network, not as a silo. If your injury requires expertise beyond chiropractic care, he coordinates referrals to trusted specialists. If you need legal guidance, he works with personal injury attorneys who understand the medical side of your case.

This integrated approach is why patients stay with Injury Recovery Center. It’s not just about getting an adjustment and leaving. It’s about having a team that understands the complexity of car accident injuries and treats you as a whole person, not a billing code.

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Will Your Auto Insurance Cover It?

In most cases, yes. Intersegmental traction is billed under CPT code 97012 (mechanical traction), and it’s typically covered under Colorado personal injury protection (PIP) policies and third-party liability claims.

Dr. Ron’s office handles the documentation and insurance communication, so you don’t have to navigate the paperwork alone. Every treatment session is documented thoroughly to support your claim and protect your access to care.

If you have questions about coverage, ask at your first visit. The team at Injury Recovery Center is experienced in working with auto insurance carriers and personal injury attorneys, and they’ll give you clear answers about what to expect.

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Don’t Navigate Recovery Alone

If you’ve been injured in a car accident and you’re tired of assembly-line care, you’re in the right place.

At Injury Recovery Center, we specialize exclusively in treating car crash injuries. Dr. Ron Losiewicz takes the time to understand your injury, explain your options, and build a recovery plan that makes sense for your body and your goals.

We don’t use any cookie-cutter treatment plans. We don’t rush you through treatments. And we don’t use intersegmental traction—or any other therapy—unless it serves your individual recovery.

Call us today and speak with Dr. Ron directly. We have three convenient locations serving the Denver metro area:

• Lakewood: 2290 Kipling St Unit 6, Lakewood, CO 80215
• Englewood: 730 W Hampden Ave Ste. 250, Englewood, CO 80110
• Aurora: 14241 E 4th Ave Building 5, Ste. 5-354, Aurora, CO 80011

You deserve care that’s grounded in expertise, guided by trust, and focused on your complete recovery. Start your recovery with clarity and confidence—call us today.