A buoyancy-based cervical traction system has a floatation and a head rest supported by the flotation system. The head rest is adapted to support a person's head above the neck and apply traction to the neck when the person is in a body of liquid. The system has a position adjustment system adapted to allow selective adjustment of the position at which the person's head rest will be relative to an upper surface of the liquid when the person and the cervical traction system are in the liquid, the person's head is supported by the head rest, and the cervical traction system and person are floating in the liquid at equilibrium.