Traction is the term used to describe any sort of medical treatment that involves applying a pulling force to the limbs, pelvis or spine.
What is traction used for?
Traction is used to:
- realign and immobilise fractures in the leg bone (femur) or hip, prior to surgery,
- treat muscle spasms,
- treat deformities such as an abnormally curved spine (scoliosis),
- reduce joint dislocations, and
- treat spinal conditions such as lower back pain, sciatica (when changes in the spine place pressure on the sciatic nerve) or cervical spondylosis (neck pain that's related to ageing).
Types of traction
There are three main types of traction, characterised by the method that's used to apply the pulling force to the body or limbs:
Manual traction
Manual traction is where the pulling force is applied manually, by somebody pulling on the part of the body with their hands or by a machine that uses weights to pull the body.
Skin traction
Skin traction is where the pulling force is applied to the skin using appliances such as splints or adhesive bandages.
Skeletal traction
Skeletal traction is where the pulling force is applied directly to the skeleton using surgically implanted pins.
