A low-cost, light weight portable lumbar fraction device for home use by a patient including a support structure having a longitudinal axis and a carriage slidable along a portion of the support structure parallel to the longitudinal axis. The carriage includes a restraining mechanism adapted to releasably restrain a portion of a patient's body to the carriage. The pneumatic fraction force generating apparatus includes at least one pneumatic chamber and at least one air inlet. The pneumatic traction force generating apparatus is operatively coupled to both the carriage and the support structure to move the carriage relative to the support structure when the at least one pneumatic chamber is in a pressurized state. The pneumatic fraction force generating apparatus is adapted to maintain a generally static fraction force for a period in excess of 10 minutes when in the pressurized state without additional pressurized air being supplied. A hand pump operated by the patient is fluidly connected to the at least one pneumatic chamber for injecting pressurized air into the at least one pneumatic chamber. The hand pump is capable of injecting at least 138 kPa (20 psi) of pressure into the pneumatic chamber. A pressure relief mechanism operated by the patient is adapted to release pressure from the at least one pneumatic chamber.