Trivia Junction

A Compendium of trivia I find interesting
...for the curious

Ancient Greek Orthopedic Treatment, The ladder

In ancient Greece, a favored orthopedic treatment for an ailing back was the strappado.

Patients were strapped to the ladder-like device, which was then dropped vertically to the ground. In theory, the drop and sudden jolt snapped displaced vertebrae back into alignment. Depending upon the nature of their pain, the patients were dropped either right-side-up or upside-down.

For the record, it should be noted that the same treatment has, at various times, also been used as a form of torture.

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