Cervical Traction

1
Cervical Traction

• Chapter 17

2
Cervical Traction

• Tension must overcome weight of skull
• Approximately 8.1 of total body weight
• 14 pounds
• Tension Supine and Seated
• Supine Approximately 7 of body weight (10 lbs)
• Reclined Approximately 20 of body weight (24
  lbs)
• Treatment Time
• Depends on the pathology
• Approximately 5 to 20
• Use comfort as a guide

3
Indications

• Degenerative disc disease
• Nerve root compression
• Disc herniation
• Muscle spasm
• Osteoarthritis or facet joint inflammation
• Capsulitis of vertebral joints
• Pathology of anterior or posterior longitudinal
  ligaments

4
Contraindications

• Pain of unknown origin
• Acute injury
• Unstable spinal segments
• Cancer, meningitis, or other spinal cord/
  vertebrae disease
• Vertebral fracture
• Extruded disc fragments

5
Mechanical Traction

• Wall or door-mounted traction
• Sitting or Prone
• Uses water bags, sand bags, or weight plates

6
Mechanical Traction

• Mandibular-occipital harness
• Places pressure on the TMJ which may cause
  discomfort

• Occipital harness
• Force placed on occipital bone
• Can be used to place spine in various positions

7
Mechanical Traction Application

• Assess body weight
• Remove material that may interfere with halter
• Adjust halter accordingly
• Bilateral midline of body
• Secure and connect halter
• Align angle of pull to correspond with the
  specific pathology
• Give patient Safety Switch
• Explain treatment

8
Initiation of Treatment

• Set controls to zero and turn on unit
• Remove slack
• Adjust Ratio
• Normally 31 or 41
• Tension
• Approximately 10 pounds or 7 of body weight
• First exposure use lower tension
• Duration
• Corresponding to pathology

9
Termination of Treatment

• Tension
• Gradually reduce over 3 or 4 cycles
• Gain slack and turn unit OFF
• Remove halter from unit and patient
• Patient remains in position for 5 minutes after
  the treatment

10
Manual Traction

• Changes in tension, angle of pull, and duration
  are more easily adjusted when compared to
  mechanical traction
• Nondominant hand cradles the occiput
• Dominant hand under nondominant
• Pull using bodyweight
• Can be administered sustained or intermittent