Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Traction”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Effectiveness of spinal release and halo-femoral traction in the management of severe spinal deformity.

The purpose of this retrospective review was to assess the effectiveness of spinal release and halo-femoral traction in the management of severe spinal deformity. Twenty-four patients had halo-femoral traction and a spinal release. Analysis focused on pre-traction curve, preoperative curve in bending or hyperextension films, final traction curve, traction weight as a percent of body weight, and complications associated with traction. The average pre-traction curve was 95 degrees and the average pre-traction curve in bending was 73 degrees; the final traction average curve was 44 degrees. The difference between the magnitude of curve correction in bending and traction films was statistically significant. Traction weight was increased to an average of 54% of body weight. The only complication was a bilateral lower extremity sensory deficit that resolved after traction weight reduction. The average final correction was 71%. Spinal release and halo-femoral traction offer a safe approach to the correction of severe spinal deformities before fusion.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical trial of a cervical traction modality with electromyographic biofeedback.

A new design of cervical traction modality with closed loop traction weight control based on electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback was developed. It consists of the development of a high signal-to-noise ratio EMG scanner, on-line self-adjusted traction weight controller, computer interface hardware, and closed loop biofeedback control software. Six healthy, young adults received conventional cervical traction to establish basic information of cervical EMG activities. Twenty-four patients with cervical radiculopathy were randomly divided into two groups for clinical assessment by conventional and new EMG biofeedback traction modality. The average electromyographic activity in healthy subjects ranged from 2.41 to 3.49 microV, whereas EMG activity in patients with neck pain ranged from 4.75 to 6.97 microV. There was a significant decrease of EMG activity during the whole traction phase, especially at pull phase in healthy subjects, but it was not as significant in patients with cervical radiculopathy. There was no significant change of myoelectric activity in the paraspinal muscles at vertebral levels C1-2, C3-4, and C5-6. Comparison of the average EMG activity of the paraspinal C-5 muscle in different phases of cervical traction showed a more significant decrease of EMG activity during the pull phase of traction as well as after traction in the high muscle tension group (with EMG activity above 5 microV), especially with the biofeedback traction modality. The raised traction force from start to optimum was shortened from 4 to 2 wk to achieve the same effective outcome by biofeedback as conventional traction modality.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Effects of traction, distension, and joint position on distraction of the hip joint: an experimental study in cadavers.

PURPOSE: To quantify the effects of traction alone and in combination with distension of air in different joint positions in order to find out the conditions for adequate distraction of the hip joint with minimal traction force. TYPE OF STUDY: Experimental cadaver study. METHODS: Eight cadaver hip joints were studied. The cadavers were placed supine on a fracture table and traction was applied in different joint positions for flexion and abduction with and without distension using air. For the measurement, the joint space between the acetabulum and femoral head was separated by 4 different lines characterizing the lateral margin of the acetabulum, the superior portions of the lunate cartilage, and the acetabular fossa. RESULTS: At all measurement lines, distraction of the hip was significantly better when traction and distension were combined. At traction forces from 250 to 300 N, traction plus distension resulted in a 1.59- to 2.25-fold increase of joint distraction compared to traction alone. The maximum effect of distension was achieved between 200 and 250 N. Up to traction forces of 250 N, the joint vacuum force counted for more than half of the total resistance. The effects of flexion and abduction on distraction of the hip were smaller. A trend for better distraction was found for 20 degrees of flexion and a significantly better distraction by avoiding abduction. CONCLUSIONS: High traction forces by breakage of the joint seal can be avoided by distension using air. The passive resistance of the soft tissues increases at higher traction forces. Slight flexion without abduction showed further increase of joint distraction. Reducing the amount of traction may possibly reduce the risk of soft tissue perineal and neurologic injuries.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effect of lumbar traction on stature.

Ten subjects were given lumbar traction for each of three time periods. Traction forces of one third of body weight were used. Stature was measured before and after traction and before and after three control periods of crook lying (lying supine with the knees flexed at 90 degrees and the feet resting on the traction table). ANOVA was used to test the hypotheses that traction and time in traction were significantly related to stature increase. Traction had significant effects on stature. The mean stature increase was 8.94 mm after 25 minutes traction compared with 3.33 mm after 25 minutes crook lying. Time in traction also had significant effects on stature increase which was most rapid during the first 15 minutes of traction. These findings can be related to the use of stature measurement as an index of spinal loading and the possible implications for treatment. However, since only healthy, young subjects were used and only one magnitude of traction was applied, the findings should be interpreted with caution. Further investigations would overcome these limitations.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Hypoglossal nerve injury caused by halo-suspension traction. A case report.

STUDY DESIGN: A case report of injury to the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) resulting from the use of halogravity traction in a child with severe cervicothoracic kyphosis after an anterior and posterior spinal release. OBJECTIVE: To describe one of the potential dangers of halo-suspension (gravity) traction, which has not been reported previously in the orthopedic literature. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Cranial nerve injuries resulting from halo-skeletal traction are a recognized complication of such treatment, especially in patients with myelomeningocele. Halo-suspension traction using the patient's body weight as counter-traction has been recommended to provide a less rigid force and to reduce complications. METHODS: The authors report on the mechanism of injury and clinical course in a 12-year-old boy with myelomeningocele and a bilateral CN XII injury caused by halo-suspension traction from onset to resolution. RESULTS: This patient had dysphagia and difficulty swallowing 5 days after surgery. His wheelchair traction at this point was approximately 40% of his body weight. The traction was reduced, and a corticosteroid was administered. The patient's symptoms began to abate 5 days later. At 6 weeks after injury, his cranial nerve function was normal. CONCLUSIONS: Although halo-suspension traction or halo-wheelchair traction may be less rigid, injury to the hypoglossal nerve can be produced with traction exceeding 40% of body weight. In the patient in the current report, resolution of this injury was complete within 5 weeks, an outcome that is consistent with those of other reported cases of CN XII injury.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed2004

The effect of intraoperative traction during posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study comparing patients having traction and a control group not having traction during posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion (PSIF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of intraoperative traction on surgical correction of AIS. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: When the Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation system was introduced, the use of intraoperative traction was advocated. However, there is no specific report documenting the effect of intraoperative traction on the correction of AIS. METHODS: The medical and radiologic records of 140 AIS patients treated by PSIF were reviewed. Forty of these patients had intraoperative traction using a head halter associated with lower extremity skin traction. The radiologic outcome was compared between the two groups intraoperatively (before instrumentation with the first rod) and after surgery using Student t tests (level of significance = 0.05). RESULTS: The intraoperative and postoperative corrections of the coronal primary Cobb angle were similar for both groups, although the patients in the traction group had smaller preoperative Cobb angles and more flexible curves and were instrumented with more screws. The postoperative thoracic kyphosis was significantly increased in both groups. The lumbar lordosis at the 1-year follow-up was maintained in the control group, but it was significantly decreased in the traction group. CONCLUSION: The authors do not recommend the routine use of intraoperative traction using a head halter combined with skin traction for all AIS patients undergoing PSIF. However, it could be helpful in selected cases, such as in patients having pelvic obliquity and requiring instrumentation of the pelvis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Analysis of patients with nonambulatory neuromuscular scoliosis surgically treated to the pelvis with intraoperative halo-femoral traction.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. OBJECTIVES: To compare patients treated with and without intraoperative halo-femoral traction to assess neuromuscular spinal deformity correction as well as the safety of the technique. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Optimal sitting balance can be achieved in nonambulatory neuromuscular patients with pelvic obliquity by maneuvering a Galveston-type rod or inserting screws into the iliac wings; however, this is often clinically challenging because of the small, soft bone-stock in the pelvis of these patients. METHODS: A total of 40 patients with nonambulatory neuromuscular scoliosis were treated surgically with a T2 or T3-sacrum instrumented posterior spinal fusion. There were 20 patients (12 who underwent posterior spinal fusion-alone and 8 anterior/posterior spinal fusion) who had intraoperative halo-femoral traction performed unilaterally on the high side iliac wing compared to a control group of 20 patients (15 who underwent posterior spinal fusion-alone and 5 anterior/posterior spinal fusion) operatively treated without halo-femoral traction. Each group had 14 patients with spastic (cerebral palsy) scoliosis, and 6 with flaccid (muscular dystrophy) scoliosis deformities. Minimum follow-up for all patients was 2 years (range 3-12). RESULTS: Preoperative lumbar scoliosis averaged 87 degrees (range 30 degrees-141 degrees) in the halo-femoral traction group and 67 degrees (range 28 degrees-108 degrees) in the control group (P = 0.012). Postoperative lumbar Cobb decreased to 35 degrees (range 15 degrees-60 degrees) in the halo-femoral traction group and 32 degrees (range 4 degrees-66 degrees) in the control group (P = 0.181). Preoperative pelvic obliquity averaged 26 degrees (range 8 degrees-47 degrees) in the halo-femoral traction group and 17 degrees (range 8 degrees-44 degrees) in the control group (P = 0.017); postoperative averaged 6 degrees (range 1 degrees-23 degrees) in the halo-femoral traction group and 7 degrees (range 0 degrees-27 degrees) in the control group. Average pelvic obliquity correction was 78% in the halo-femoral traction group and 52% in the control group (P = 0.001). There were no intraoperative or postoperative halo-femoral traction apparatus-related complications noted (pin cut-out, femoral fractures, pin-sight infections, etc.). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative use of halo-femoral traction during the surgical treatment of patients with nonambulatory neuromuscular scoliosis provided significantly improved lumbar curve and pelvic obliquity correction. Intraoperative halo-femoral traction had no associated perioperative complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Design and assessment of an adaptive intermittent cervical traction modality with EMG biofeedback.

An intermittent cervical traction modality with closed-loop traction force control based on EMG biofeedback was developed and used for clinical study. This system consists of a EMG scanner, on-line self-adjusted traction force controller, audio/video alarm system, real time therapeutic status display, computer interface hardware, and control software. Twenty-four subjects with diagnosed cervical radiculopathy and muscle spasm symptom who were randomly divided into two groups served as subjects in this study. The control and experimental groups were treated with conventional open loop and new EMG biofeedback closed loop traction control protocols respectively. The results of this study indicate that the average reductions in paraspinal EMG signal during traction after 7 weeks treatment for experimental and control groups were 71 and 50 percent, respectively (p < 0.001). These results not only support the clinical use of intermittent, sitting traction to produce cervical paraspinal muscle relaxation, but also revealed that the average myoelectric activity of cervical paraspinal muscle during traction was reduced as traction force increased over the 7-week duration of traction treatment. Through EMG biofeedback traction force control, muscle injury, neck soreness, or pain after traction may be avoided.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Effect of 10%, 30%, and 60% body weight traction on the straight leg raise test of symptomatic patients with low back pain.

STUDY DESIGN: Single group test-retest repeated measures. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of lumbar traction with 3 different amounts of force (10%, 30% and 60% body weight) on pain-free mobility of the lower extremity as measured by the straight leg raise (SLR) test. BACKGROUND: There are several recommendations on how lumbar traction should be performed, but the duration, frequency, force, and type of technique to be applied differ among the sources. METHODS AND MEASURES: Ten subjects with subjective complaints of low back pain or radicular symptoms with a positive unilateral SLR test below 45 degrees participated in this study. The pain-free mobility of the lower extremity in the SLR test position was measured prior to and immediately following 5 minutes of static traction in the supine position. Random assignment in the order of the amount of applied traction was implemented. RESULTS: The straight leg raise measurements were found to be significantly greater immediately following 30% and 60% of body weight traction as compared to pretraction and 10% of body weight traction. The mean (SD) SLR measurements were pretraction (24.1 degrees +/- 13.0), 10% of body weight traction (27.4 degrees +/- 14.5), 30% of body weight traction (34.0 degrees +/- 14.3), 60% of body weight traction (36.5 degrees +/- 15.8). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that traction in this group of patients improved the mobility of the lower extremity during the SLR test. Both 30% and 60% of body weight tractions were shown to be effective for increasing motion beyond pretraction levels.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Effect of continuous lumbar traction on the size of herniated disc material in lumbar disc herniation.

We investigated the effects of continuous lumbar traction in patients with lumbar disc herniation on clinical findings, and size of the herniated disc measured by computed tomography (CT). In this prospective, randomized, controlled study, 46 patients with lumbar disc herniation were included, and randomized into two groups as the traction group (24 patients), and the control group (22 patients). The traction group was given a physical therapy program and continuous lumbar traction. The control group was given the same physical therapy program without traction, for the same duration of time. Data for the clinical symptoms and signs were collected before and after the treatment together with calculation of a herniation index, from the CT images that showed the size of the herniated disc material. In the traction group, most of the clinical findings significantly improved with treatment. Size of the herniated disc material in CT decreased significantly only in the traction group. In the traction group the herniation index decreased from 276.6+/-129.6 to 212.5+/-84.3 with treatment (p<0.01). In the control group, pretreatment value was 293.4+/-112.1, and it decreased to 285.4+/-115.4 after the treatment (p>0.05). Patients with greater herniations tended to respond better to traction. In conclusion, lumbar traction is both effective in improving symptoms and clinical findings in patients with lumbar disc herniation and also in decreasing the size of the herniated disc material as measured by CT.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy of home cervical traction therapy.

Cervical traction is administered by various techniques ranging from supine mechanical motorized cervical traction to seated cervical traction using an over-the-door pulley support with attached weights. Duration of cervical traction can range from a few minutes to 20 to 30 min, once or twice weekly to several times per day. Anecdotal evidence suggests efficacy and safety, but there is no documentation of efficacy of cervical traction beyond short-term pain reduction. Because of a clinical impression that a simplified, inexpensive, over-the-door home cervical traction method of treatment requiring 5 min of cervical traction twice daily was efficacious for both cervical pain and radiculopathic syndromes, we undertook a retrospective study of 58 outpatients treated between 1994 and 1996. Age range was 29 to 84 (mean, 56) yr. Twenty-three males and 35 females were classified as Grade 1 to Grade 3 according to the Quebec Task Force of Whiplash-Associated Disorders Cohort Study. Outcomes were as follows: Grade 1 (mild)--4 of 4 (100%) patients improved; Grade 2 (moderate)--34 of 44 (77%) patients improved (P < 0.01), 5 were unchanged, and 5 felt their symptoms were aggravated by cervical traction; Grade 3 (patients with radiculopathy)--9 of 10 (90%) patients improved (P < 0.01). In a retrospective study, a brief (3-5 min), over-the-door home cervical traction modality provided symptomatic relief in 81% of the patients with mild to moderately severe (Grade 3) cervical spondylosis syndromes. Prospective, randomized assessment of cervical traction for this and other methods is needed.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Vertical instability in spondylolisthesis: a traction radiographic assessment technique and the principle of management.

STUDY DESIGN: Lateral radiographs of the lumbar spine were taken of 40 patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis. These radiographs were taken in the neutral, flexion, and extension positions for both erect and recumbent postures, and also in the prone and supine positions with traction applied via a traction table. OBJECTIVES: To define and demonstrate the presence of "vertical instability" in spondylolisthesis, and to determine the most useful radiographic views for clinical purposes and analysis of the surgical principle. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Lateral radiographs of patients in flexion and extension are widely used to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on lumbar spondylolisthesis. Changes in lumbar disc height and segmental translation in a group of patients with spondylolisthesis have been demonstrated with the addition of traction and compression. METHODS: Lateral and flexion extension radiographs of the lumbosacral spine in 37 patients with spondylolisthesis taken in standing and recumbent positions and under pelvic traction in the prone or supine positions were suitable for analysis. The changes in disc area, intervertebral kyphotic slip angle, and amount of anteroposterior shift (olisthesis) were measured from the radiographs using a computer digitizer. The disc area was normalized against the area of the superior vertebra, and the amount of anteroposterior shift was normalized against the anteroposterior width of the superior vertebra. Inter- and intraobserver error was found to be negligible, and results were analyzed by paired t test. RESULTS: Maximum slip angle, maximum olisthesis, and minimum normalized disc area were found with the subject under erect flexion. Conversely, prone traction and recumbent extension produced minimum slip angle, whereas the lowest anteroposterior shifts were seen with the subject under prone and supine traction. Prone traction also resulted in a significantly larger normalized disc area than any other posture. The change in kyphotic slip angle between erect flexion and prone traction is correlated with the change in normalized olisthesis and disc area. CONCLUSIONS: Erect flexion and prone traction radiographs represent the extremes of subluxation and reduction of the olisthesis, respectively, and the change in olisthesis seen between these extremes is correlated with the change in disc area and the intervertebral slip angle. Vertical laxity of the affected functional spinal unit resulting from disc degeneration produces laxity in the ligaments and disc anulus, allowing olisthetic motion. Restoration of disc height in turn restores tension to the soft tissues around the disc and results in a spontaneous reduction of the subluxation. Restoration and maintenance of disc height with a spacer or interbody fusion therefore is recommended as a goal in the treatment of spondylolisthesis. When spondylolytic spondylolisthesis involves a posterior column deficiency, additional reconstruction of this column with posterior instrumentation is recommended. Application of the traction radiographic technique in planning for spondylolisthesis reduction is discussed along with the technique of stabilization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Lumbar traction: a review of the literature.

Lumbar traction is commonly used to treat patients with back pain. Typically, clinicians rely on expert opinion in making decisions about when and how to implement lumbar traction. The purpose of this paper was to review current knowledge of lumbar traction and to identify what, if any, empirical evidence supports the expert opinions. This review found that whereas the mechanical effects of lumbar traction are well substantiated, the results of studies examining clinical effectiveness are conflicting. The failure to conclusively demonstrate the clinical benefit of lumbar traction may be related to the varied diagnostic categories and treatment techniques employed in the studies. Of the 10 types of lumbar traction described in the literature, static and intermittent mechanical traction are the two most commonly used. Indications, contraindications, and treatment techniques for these two types of traction are discussed. Based on the findings of this review, further study is needed to determine optimal treatment duration, frequency, and mode of administering lumbar traction. Also, classification systems to identify patients most likely to benefit from traction need to be developed and validated.

Contraindications↗
PubMed2002

Results of halter cervical traction for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy: retrospective review of 81 patients.

OBJECT: The percentage of patients responding to conservative treatment for cervical radiculopathy secondary to nerve root compression is not well quantified. To clarify this question, the authors retrospectively reviewed the records obtained over a 4-year period in patients with cervical radiculopathy to determine their response to conservative measures (cervical collar therapy and halter cervical traction). METHODS: Cervical radiculopathy was diagnosed in patients if they suffered from radiating arm pain made worse by neck movement and at least one of the following: reflex loss, dermatomal numbness, and/or myotomal weakness. Patients with neck pain alone or arm pain without neurological deficit were excluded from analysis. Those patients without excruciating pain, severe weakness, or evidence of myelopathy were offered a course of halter traction before surgery was to be considered. Ninety-six patients met the inclusion criteria; there were 61 males and 35 females, and the mean age was 47 years. Fifty-five patients presented with C-7, 37 with C-6, two with C-5, and two with C-8 radiculopathy. Eighty-one patients underwent a trial of traction that consisted of wearing a cervical collar and home-based halter cervical traction: 8 to 12 pounds, applied for 15 minutes, three times a day for 3 to 6 weeks The mean duration of symptoms prior to neurosurgical evaluation was 43 days +/- 8.3 days (standard deviation). Sixty-three (78%) of 81 patients responded to therapeutic traction, experiencing significant or total pain relief, three could not tolerate the traction, and traction failed in 15 patients. Of the 81 patients in whom traction was undertaken, 78 underwent magnetic resonance imaging prior to being seen, which revealed herniated discs at the corresponding levels in 71 and foraminal stenosis in seven. Three of the 63 patients in whom an initial response to traction was noted suffered recurrence of symptoms and required surgery. It would appear that in patients in whom symptoms of cervical radiculopathy were present for approximately 6 weeks that 75% will respond to further conservative treatment (halter traction and cervical collar) over the next 6 weeks.

Cervical Vertebrae↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Computed tomographic evaluation of lumbar spinal structures during traction.

In the previous studies, it is reported that traction diminishes the compressive load on intervertebral discs, reduces herniation, stretches lumbar spinal muscle and ligaments, decreases muscle spasm, and widens intervertebral foramina. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of horizontal motorized static traction on spinal anatomic structures (herniated area, spinal canal area, intervertebral disc heights, neural foraminal diameter, and m.psoas diameter) by quantitative measures in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). At the same time the effect of traction in different localizations (median and posterolateral herniation) and at different levels (L4-L5 and L5-S1) was assessed. Thirty two patients with acute LDH participated in the study. A special traction system was used to apply horizontally-motorized static lumbar traction. Before and during traction a CT- scan was made to observe the changes in the area of spinal canal and herniated disc material, in the width of neural foramina, intervertebral disc heights, and in the thickness of psoas muscle. During traction, the area of protruded disc area, and the thickness of psoas muscle decreased 24.5% (p = 0.0001), and 5.7% (p = 0.0001), respectively. The area of the spinal canal and the width of the neural foramen increased 21.6% (p = 0.0001) and 26.7% (p = 0.0001), respectively. The anterior intervertebral disc height remained unchanged with traction however the posterior intervertebral disc height was significantly expanded. This study is the first to evaluated in detail and quantitatively the effect of motorized horizontal lumbar spinal traction on spinal structures and herniated area. According to detailed measures it was concluded that during traction of individuals with acute LDH there was a reduction of the size of the herniation, increased space within the spinal canal, widening of the neural foramina, and decreased thickness of the psoas muscle.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The effect of cervical traction combined with rotatory manipulation on cervical nucleus pulposus pressures.

OBJECTIVE: To study experimentally the effect of cervical traction combined with rotatory manipulation on the pressure of the cervical nucleus pulposus. DESIGN: Randomized experimental study. SETTING: Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Biomechanics, the First Military Medical University, GuangZhou, China. SUBJECTS: Twelve fresh cervical spines, from C7 to occipital bone, were obtained from cadavers of patients who had died from acute brain death. INTERVENTION: State A: under different traction forces, the cervical spine was rotated. State B: the cervical spine was rotated first and then tractioned. State C: the cervical spine was tractioned and rotated simultaneously. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The cervical spine was tractioned and rotated by the Material Test System (MTS), and pressures of the cervical nucleus pulposus of C3-4, C4-5 and C5-6 were measured using pressure sensors. RESULTS: (a) When the traction force increased, the pressure fell continuously in the 200-N tractioned spines; the pressure increased slightly when the sample was rotated. (b) The pressure fell to a certain extent when the state of cervical spine was restored. (c) In state A, the pressure fell obviously and increased slightly under a 200-N traction force and then the sample was rotated; in state B, the pressure first increased to a certain extent and then fell slightly and in state C, the pressure underwent no change in the main. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this research suggest that rotatory manipulation of cervical spine under traction was the safest of the three procedures and the traction force used in clinical treatment may be a little smaller.

Cervical Vertebrae↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Traction and kinesitherapy in the management of painful syndromes of the cervical spine].

Painful cervical spine syndromes caused by discopathy become ever more frequent. Conservative treatment of cervical discopathy includes mainly traction, kinesitherapy, thermotherapy, massage and electrotherapy. Traction treatment and kinesitherapy are particularly important. The author carried out investigations in 90 cases of cervical discopathy divided into 3 groups of 30 cases in each. In each group cervical traction was applied using Glisson's loop at different traction force and duration of traction. It was observed that three factors were of decisive importance for the end-result of traction: a) a proper position of the patient during the procedure and a proper direction of traction force, b) a proper duration of traction, c) a properly selected weight. Electromyography demonstrated bioelectric activity in the trapezius muscle and deltoid muscle on the affected side before treatment. After application of traction the bioelectric activity of these muscles was significantly reduced at rest. It is concluded that cervical traction and kinesitherapy are effective methods in treatment of cerival spinal painful syndromes.

Cervical Vertebrae↗
PubMed2004

Traction in smooth muscle cells varies with cell spreading.

Changes in cell shape regulate cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. It has been suggested that the regulation of cell function by the cell shape is a result of the tension in the cytoskeleton and the distortion of the cell. Here we explore the association between cell-generated mechanical forces and the cell morphology. We hypothesized that the cell contractile force is associated with the degree of cell spreading, in particular with the cell length. We measured traction fields of single human airway smooth muscle cells plated on a polyacrylamide gel, in which fluorescent microbeads were embedded to serve as markers of gel deformation. The traction exerted by the cells at the cell-substrate interface was determined from the measured deformation of the gel. The traction was measured before and after treatment with the contractile agonist histamine, or the relaxing agonist isoproterenol. The relative increase in traction induced by histamine was negatively correlated with the baseline traction. On the contrary, the relative decrease in traction due to isoproterenol was independent of the baseline traction, but it was associated with cell shape: traction decreased more in elongated than in round cells. Maximum cell width, mean cell width, and projected area of the cell were the parameters most tightly coupled to both baseline and histamine-induced traction in this study. Wide and well-spread cells exerted larger traction than slim cells. These results suggest that cell contractility is controlled by cell spreading.

Adhesiveness↗