Since 2013, Hasuda Orthopedic Clinic has been providing community-centered medical services in Hasuda City, Saitama Prefecture. We had the opportunity to interview Dr. Kouji Nakamura, the Clinic Director, who is also the founder of this clinic and continues to contribute to patients with various clinical needs in the region.

At our clinic, treatment options include “conservative treatments” such as pharmacotherapy, physical therapy, and block injection therapy, as well as “surgical treatments.” We carefully assess and determine the appropriate point to transition from conservative to surgical treatments and guide our patients accordingly. We have also invested in the latest equipment to enhance our rehabilitation efforts.

Distinctive Features of Hasuda Orthopedic Clinic

Every day, approximately 200 to 300 patients visit our clinic, and I see about 1,500 patients per month. We also conduct surgeries every weekend, handling about 2 to 3 cases. In orthopedics, there are two main approaches: conservative treatment and surgical treatment. Before opting for surgery, we thoroughly attempt conservative treatment, choosing surgery only if there is no improvement. It is my role to determine the best course of action. One distinction of our clinic from others is that we have an operating room and can consistently provide both conservative and surgical treatments. Initially, no patient requests surgery; we first attempt conservative treatments, which are effective for most. However, if there is no improvement, we then opt for surgery.

For patients with back pain, we primarily use traction therapy. Most patients experience pain relief and improvement through traction. For those who do not improve, we suggest surgical treatment.

Differentiating Traction Devices from Other Treatment Devices

We own both chair-type and bed-type traction devices and choose based on the patients’ needs. Some patients prefer the bed-type, while others prefer the chair-type, but we use them according to patient preferences. Initially, pulling too hard can cause pain, so we start with a lighter load and gradually increase the weight according to the patient’s symptoms.

When I became a doctor, only bed-type traction devices were available, but after learning about chair-type devices from OG Wellness, I purchased one set. As patient demand increased, we have added more devices. Still, patients sometimes wait 30 minutes to an hour.

If traction therapy is not suitable or a patient has strong inflammation, we also use thermotherapy and microwave treatments. Recently, we introduced laser therapy device, which penetrates deeply and changes the local environment, reducing pain. We incorporate other treatments for patients who are difficult to treat with traction alone.

Previously, we did not fully understand why back pain traction was effective. It was believed that traction reduced pain by expanding the intervertebral space, but we are planning experiments to verify whether this is true.
In our recent experiment using a C-arm to check for intervertebral separation, I was the subject myself, and we could not confirm a clear separation of the vertebrae. Rather than the separation reducing inflammation, we hypothesize that the movement of soft tissues changes the surrounding environment, thus reducing inflammation.

Installed Equipment

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  ORTHOTRAC LASEDIA

  OL-6600

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  MICRO THERMY

  ME-9250

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  FINELASER

  EL-1000

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  PHYSIOUS

  FS-350