Traction therapy

Passive procedure in which mechanical power develops centrifugal tension in the backbone axis (tractions) or in extremity axis (extension).
Pulling force affects mainly soft tissue of the locomotory apparatus (muscles, ligaments, sinews and articular capsules).
Traction tension can be started manually by another person or mechanically.
Manual tractions (called also hand tractions)can be a part of different techniques used in individual therapeutic physical training (especially hand tractions of cervical spine or hand tractions of low extremity in thighbone axis). In individual therapeutic physical training there can be used also so-called redress positioning, which means the force (of hand, a bag of sand or harness) is used right through the joint whose restricted mobility we want to improve this way.
Mechanical tractions of cervical spine are performed by means of Glisson winch by pulling the weight or on the traction table by means of the weight of the patient´s body itself caused by gravity. The traction of coxal spine is performed in a similar way with the patient lying on the back while the pelvis is fixed (with a possibility of traction to flexion or to extension).
In these mechanical tractions, the effect of pulling force is constant and continual.
Tractions in water also use the weight of the patient´s body, while the influence of the gravity is strongly eliminated due to hydrostatic uplift forces.
So-called apparatus tractions are performed by means of special equipment which works in the mode of intermittent tractions when not only pulling force and duration of the whole traction are adjusted, but also the duration of the dynamic tension and quiescent period. Modern apparatus has special pre-set programmes.
The procedure has to prescribed by a doctor who will specify a kind of required traction and place.
Duration: 20 minutes