Mechanical Traction Flashcards
What is traction?
Force used to draw adjacent bone structure apart to increase their shared joint space
List 3 effects of spinal elongation via the use of traction.
- Decreased nociceptive input, mechanical stress, muscle spasm, spinal n. root compression
- Increased mobility
- Releases disc material or adhesions from zygo-apophyseal joint
List 2 indications for the use of mechanical traction.
- Cervical spine pain with or without radiculopathy
2. LBP with or without radiculopathy
List 9 contraindications to traction.
- Spinal tumors or bone disease
- Infection
- Osteoporosis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Altered mental status
- Painful reactions/inability to relax
- Respiratory or cardiac insufficiency
- Cervical segment instability/recent ligamentous injury
- Large disc extrusion
For lumbar traction, the spine is in a _____ position with the hips flexed to _____ degrees. Alternatively, the patient can be in a _____ or ______ position.
Neutral with 90 degrees of hip flexion
Prone
Lateral shift
What load should be used for lumbar traction. Why?
Atleast 1/4 of BW to overcome friction
Why? Equal to BW to cause intervertebral separation
True or False: Therapy should begin with the least amount of load possible to get the desired therapeutic effects, and then increased as necessitated.
TRUE
True or False: One should expect greater separation in older individuals.
FALSE
Greater separation seen in younger individuals
What duration of lumbar traction should be used? (2)
- Begin with the least amount of time necessary to get the desired therapeutic effects
- 10’, progressing to 30’ as necessary
What duration of lumbar/cervical traction is needed for separation of the vertebral segments versus for muscle relaxation to occur?
7 seconds= amount of time for separation of vertebral segments
20+ seconds = amount of time for muscle relaxation to occur
Continuous lumbar traction is indicated for _____ and ______. Meanwhile, intermittent may be more easy to ______ by the patient.
Continuous = muscle spasm and disc herniation
Intermittent may be easier to TOLERATE
Describe the positioning for cervical traction. (2)
- 20-30 degrees of flexion
2. Increased flexion targets lower cervical segments
C/S traction addresses _____ as well as vertebral body-disc-vertebral body interface
FACETS
How much load is needed during cervical traction to distract the joint surfaces?
20-50lbs of force needed to distract the joint surfaces
More separation is expected in the ______ cervical segments with cervical traction.
LOWER
