Spinal Traction Flashcards
Effects of Traction
- distraction of vertebral bodies
- –> creates suction force to draw discs toward neutral position = more room = less pressure
- –> alters pressure of intervertebral discs
- distraction and/or gliding on facets
- flattens lumbar curvature
- tensing of segmental ligaments
- widening of lateral foramen
- decreases pressure on injured tissue
- stretching of spinal muscles
- relaxation of spinal muscles
- improves peripheral circulation
- research does not support any LASTING effects
types of disc herniation
stage 1: protrusion
stage 2: prolapse
stage 3: extrusion (nucleus pulpous breaks through annulus fibrosis)
stage 4: sequestered
Traction will provide pain relief for which types of disc herniation
protrusion
minor prolapse
Indications
- HNP
- facet impingement / malalignment
- facet joint hypo mobility
- DDD / DJD (discs essentially melt away)
- stenosis “narrowing”
- central stenosis: narrowing of vertebral foramen
- lateral stenosis: narrowing of lateral foramen
- muscle spasm
Benefits of traction for HNP
- widening of lateral foramen –> decreases intradiscal pressure
- provided suction effect on disc material –> pulls it back into normal position
- PLL also stretched –> pushes disc back into place
- —> symptoms decrease in LE due to decreased compression on nerve root
Facet Impingement
- manual techniques usually more effective
- capsular impingement due to improper timing of contraction of multifidus or ligamentous dysfunction
- mechanical block due to intra articular menisci
Facet Hypomobility
- traction most effective when multisegment hypomobility is present
- if one joint is hypo mobile, one of surrounding joints is HYPERmobile to maintain normal motion
argument against mechanical traction:
it is NON-SPECIFIC
DDD/DJD
- traction may reduce radicular signs and symptoms associated with nerve root compression from osteophyte formation
- relief is NOT permanent
- some have found traction to increase signs/symptoms =(
Central Stenosis
- pain is INCREASED with EXTENSION
- sitting and FLEXION relieve leg pain
- causes: arthritis, central disc bulge, hypertrophied ligament flavum
- traction may decrease OR increase sx
- -> monitor carefully through tx
Contraindications
- where motion is contraindicated:
- fracture or dislocation
- displacement of a fragment of annulus
- cord compression
- post recent abdominal or thoracic surgery
- acute injury or inflammation (complete nerve block!)
- patient cannot tolerate prone or supine positions
- TMJ problems
- claustrophobic patients
Types of traction
- manual: more specific to a segment, clinician can modify depending on pt response BUT difficult to determine amount of force being applied –> difficult to replicate and time and energy cost
- used more in c spine than L spine
- head in neutral : upper cervical
- head in flexion (up to 30 degrees) : more distal lower c-spine
Should r/o vertebral aretery issues – no dizziness or blurry vision by extension and sidebend to test circle of willis
- positional: ideal for localizing segment on one side, useful for stenosis or posterolateral disc herniation, may be done at home or concurrently with other modalities
- mechanical (lumbar and cervical)
- intermittent (chronic) or sustained (subacute)
- prone or supine
- split table (most beneficial)
- bed traction: not used too much: high hospital cost, no research to support working better than bedrest alone
- cottrell 90/90
- posterior tilt
- pt can pull rope from A-frame to lift pelvis increasing posterior tilt
- good for lateral stenosis, not HNP
- *not an AT thing
- inversion boots/table: weight of body acts as traction force, cheap and easy to do at home BUT increases BP and pressure in eyes
- home doorway
Lumbar Facet motion
FLEXION: bilateral facets upglide = OPEN
SB: ipsilateral facets downglide (CLOSE), contralateral upglide (OPEN)
ROTATION: ipsilateral facet joints gap (OPEN), contralateral facet joints approximate (CLOSE)
static or intermittent?
Cyriax: static
Maitland: static
Saunders: intermittent or static
- static more popular in Europe
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
- static when area inflamed or aggravated
- intermittent with long hold times for disc protrusions
- short hold and relax for joint dysfunction
Lumbar Traction Position
- supine is most common = promotes flexion (facet dysfunction, stenosis)
- with hips/knees flexed –> posterior pull
- with hips/knees neutral –> anterior pull
- prone = promotes extension (disc problems)
Lumbar Traction Force
- 80-200lbs.
- initially low
- 1/2 body weight for a frictionless/split table (for nerve root or facet)
- 25% body weight for soft tissue stretch
- increase 5-15 lbs per session (no big jumps)
- all the slack needs to be taken up before the split is released
- patient must be able to relax