The Hippocratic bench or scamnum was a device invented by

Hippocrates Hippocrates of Kos (; grc-gre, Ἱπποκράτης ὁ Κῷος, Hippokrátēs ho Kôios; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician of the classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history o ...

(c. 460 BC–380 BC), which used

tension Tension may refer to: Science * Psychological stress * Tension (physics), a force related to the stretching of an object (the opposite of compression) * Tension (geology), a stress which stretches rocks in two opposite directions * Voltage or el ...

to aid in setting bones. It is a forerunner of the traction devices used in modern

orthopedics Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

, as well as of the

rack Rack or racks may refer to: Storage and installation * Amp rack, short for amplifier rack, a piece of furniture in which amplifiers are mounted * Bicycle rack, a frame for storing bicycles when not in use * Bustle rack, a type of storage bi ...

, an instrument of torture. The patient would lie on a bench, at an adjustable angle, and ropes would be tied around their arms, waist, legs or feet, depending on the treatment needed.

Winch A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in (wind up) or let out (wind out) or otherwise adjust the tension of a rope or wire rope (also called "cable" or "wire cable"). In its simplest form, it consists of a spool (or drum) attach ...

es would then be used to pull the ropes apart, correcting curvature in the spine or separating an overlapping fracture. In recent years, a similar non-surgical procedure known as VAX-D (short for Vertebral Axial Decompression) has been developed for treating certain patients with lower back pain. Patients undergoing VAX-D are fitted with a special pelvic harness and then placed on the VAX-D table. The device then applies controlled tension along the axis of the spinal column, while the harness assists in providing decompression of the

lumbar spine The lumbar vertebrae are, in human anatomy, the five vertebrae between the rib cage and the pelvis. They are the largest segments of the vertebral column and are characterized by the absence of the foramen transversarium within the transverse p ...

. The decompression process is controlled by computer program with supervision by a human technician. The VAX-D process is claimed to be useful in treating cases of sciatica, degenerative disc disease, and herniated discs.

References

* "What the Ancients Did for Us", BBC television programme aired on April 6, 2005 Ancient inventions Ancient Greek medicine Orthopedic surgical procedures {{medical-equipment-stub