Traction

The therapeutic use of manual or mechanical tension created by a pulling force to produce a combination of distraction and gliding to relieve pain and increase tissue flexibility. Indications for traction therapy include, but are not limited to, decreased sensation that temporarily improves with manual traction, increased muscle tone that is reduced with manual traction, extremity pain or tingling that is temporarily relieved with manual traction, spinal nerve root impediment due to bulging, herniated or protruding disc, and muscle spasms that are causing nerve root impingement and general hypomobility of lumbar or cervical spine regions. Electric traction units exert a pulling force through a rope with various halters and straps.