What Is Knee Decompression Therapy? How Knee on Trac Works

If you’re dealing with knee pain—whether from arthritis, a meniscus tear, or the dreaded “bone-on-bone” diagnosis—you’ve probably been told your options are limited: pain medication, cortisone shots, or knee replacement surgery. But there’s an option your orthopedic surgeon may not have mentioned: knee decompression therapy.

At The Gibson Center, we use the FDA-cleared Knee on Trac system—a technology specifically designed to address the mechanical cause of knee pain without surgery, injections, or medication.

The Root Cause of Most Knee Pain

To understand why decompression therapy works, you need to understand what’s actually happening in a painful knee. In a healthy knee, cartilage provides a smooth, cushioned surface between the bones. Synovial fluid lubricates the joint. There’s adequate space for these structures to function properly.

With arthritis, injury, or age-related wear, this space narrows. Cartilage thins or breaks down. Bones begin to compress against each other. Inflammation increases. The joint becomes stiff, painful, and less mobile. In severe cases, this becomes what doctors call “bone-on-bone.”

How Knee on Trac Works

The Knee on Trac system uses gentle, computerized traction to decompress the knee joint. Here’s what happens during a session:

Step 1: Secure Positioning

Your leg is comfortably positioned in the Knee on Trac device, which secures above and below the knee joint. The positioning is precise—the system is computer-controlled to ensure the traction force is applied exactly where it’s needed.

Step 2: Controlled Decompression

The device applies a gentle pulling force that creates space within the knee joint. This isn’t aggressive or forceful—patients typically describe the sensation as a comfortable stretch. The computer modulates the force throughout the session, cycling between decompression and partial release.

Step 3: What Happens Inside the Joint

When the joint is decompressed, several beneficial things occur simultaneously:

• •Reduced compression – Bones are gently separated, relieving the pressure that causes pain.
• •Improved circulation – Blood flow to the joint increases, delivering nutrients needed for healing.
• •Fluid exchange – Synovial fluid can move more freely, improving lubrication.
• •Reduced inflammation – The pumping action helps move inflammatory waste products out of the joint.
• •Nutrient delivery – Cartilage doesn’t have its own blood supply. It receives nutrients through diffusion from synovial fluid—a process that requires joint space and fluid movement.

The Science of Decompression

The therapeutic principle behind knee decompression is rooted in well-established physiology. Wolff’s Law, a foundational concept in orthopedic medicine, states that bones and connective tissues adapt to the mechanical forces placed on them. When a joint is chronically compressed—as happens with arthritis—the tissues respond to that constant pressure by stiffening, inflaming, and deteriorating. Decompression reverses the mechanical environment, giving tissues an opportunity to respond to a different set of forces.

The cyclical nature of the treatment—alternating between decompression and partial release—is particularly important. Think of how a sponge works: when you squeeze a sponge, it pushes out the old, dirty water. When you release the pressure, the sponge expands and absorbs fresh, clean water. Cartilage behaves in a remarkably similar way. Under compression, waste products and inflammatory chemicals are pushed out. During the decompression phase, fresh synovial fluid rich in nutrients and oxygen is drawn into the cartilage tissue. This pumping action is the primary mechanism by which avascular cartilage—tissue that has no direct blood supply—receives the nourishment it needs to maintain itself and repair damage.

What to Expect During Your Treatment

Your First Visit (FREE)

Your first appointment includes a comprehensive evaluation where Dr. Gibson examines your knee, reviews any imaging you have (X-rays, MRIs), discusses your medical history, and determines whether you’re a good candidate for decompression therapy. This visit is completely free with no obligation.

Treatment Sessions

Each treatment session typically lasts about 30 minutes. You’ll sit comfortably while the Knee on Trac system works. Many patients find it relaxing—some even doze off during treatment. There’s no pain, no needles, and no recovery time needed. You walk in and walk out.

Treatment Timeline

A typical treatment plan involves 12 sessions over 6–8 weeks. Most patients feel a difference after their very first session—reduced pain, improved range of motion, or simply a sense of relief in the joint. Results build progressively with each treatment.

The FDA-Cleared Difference

The Knee on Trac system is FDA-cleared, meaning it has met the regulatory standards for safety and effectiveness. This is an important distinction from unregulated or makeshift decompression devices. The computer-controlled precision ensures consistent, safe treatment every session.

In practical terms, FDA clearance means the Knee on Trac device has undergone a rigorous review process that evaluated both its safety profile and its ability to deliver the therapeutic effects it claims. The device is manufactured to strict quality standards with built-in safeguards, and each treatment is controlled by computer software that precisely regulates the force, duration, and cycling pattern. This matters because consistency is critical in therapeutic outcomes—every session delivers the exact protocol prescribed, removing the variability that can occur with manual techniques. Patients can be confident that the treatment they receive on session twelve is just as precisely calibrated as the treatment they received on session one.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

Knee decompression therapy is effective for a wide range of conditions:

• •Knee osteoarthritis (mild to severe)
• •Bone-on-bone conditions
• •Meniscus tears
• •Cartilage damage or degeneration
• •Post-surgical knee pain
• •Chronic knee stiffness
• •Knee pain that hasn’t responded to medication or injections

Who Is NOT a Good Candidate?

While knee decompression therapy is safe and effective for most patients with knee pain, there are situations where it is not appropriate. Patients with active infections in or around the knee joint, recent fractures, severe osteoporosis in the knee area, tumors near the joint, or recent surgical hardware such as plates, screws, or a fresh knee replacement should not undergo decompression therapy. Certain vascular conditions and advanced inflammatory arthritis (such as active rheumatoid flares) may also be contraindications. This is precisely why Dr. Gibson conducts a thorough evaluation before recommending treatment—every patient is assessed individually to ensure decompression is appropriate and safe for their specific situation. If decompression is not the right fit, Dr. Gibson will be straightforward about it and help guide you toward alternatives that are.

Real Results

Many of our patients come to us after being told surgery was their only option. After completing a course of Knee on Trac treatment, they report significant pain reduction, improved mobility, and activities they thought were behind them—walking without a limp, climbing stairs, playing with grandchildren, returning to hobbies they’d given up.

It’s important to set realistic expectations: not every patient responds the same way. Some patients experience dramatic improvement—going from daily pain and limited mobility to near-normal function. Others experience moderate but meaningful relief—less pain, better range of motion, and the ability to do more than they could before treatment. The key is that the vast majority of patients find a clinically meaningful improvement in both pain and mobility. Factors that influence outcomes include the severity and type of arthritis, how long the condition has been present, overall health, body weight, and adherence to the full treatment protocol. Dr. Gibson discusses realistic expectations during your initial evaluation so you can make an informed decision.

Not every patient avoids surgery, but many do. And even for those who eventually choose surgery, decompression therapy can improve the joint’s condition beforehand, potentially leading to better surgical outcomes. Knee on Trac is one of several proven alternatives to knee replacement surgery.