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Treatment of osteochondrosis: traction therapy
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025
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Traction therapy is one of the methods of restorative treatment of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system and their consequences (deformations and contractures of large joints, degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine, etc.). With the help of short-term or long-term traction, muscle retraction is overcome or a gradual stretching effect is exerted on a particular area of the body in order to eliminate contracture or deformation.
A distinction is made between "dry" and underwater traction. "Dry" traction is traction on a regular functional bed (the head end is raised to a height of 50-60 cm, the strap is passed through the patient's chest, armpits and fixed to the back of the bed at the level of the torso). Fixation is also possible with the help of two soft rings supporting the patient under the armpits (used in case of traumatic injury to the spine).
For traction, there are also tables of a special design with a sliding shield on rollers, which ensures greater efficiency of the procedure as a result of reducing the loss of traction due to friction.
Underwater traction combines the physical effects of water (fresh, mineral, sea) with traction techniques. The effect of water (36-37°C) on proprioceptors helps reduce the tone of striated muscles, thereby eliminating deformation or contracture.
Underwater traction can be vertical and horizontal.
Vertical underwater traction is carried out using various simple devices (foam circle, wooden parallel handrails) and more complex structures in a special therapeutic pool (water temperature 36-37C).
Horizontal underwater traction (for spinal pathology) is performed by longitudinal traction of the spinal column or sagging of the torso in a regular or large bath on a traction board.
Traction treatment is widely used in the rehabilitation of patients with orthopedic, traumatological and neurological profiles in order to reduce the protrusion of fragments of the intervertebral disc (in osteochondrosis of the spine); in case of disc displacement, curvature of the spine, contractures or arthrosis of large joints and in some reflex disorders.
Traction treatment for spinal diseases:
- relieves the spine by increasing the distance between the vertebral bodies;
- reduces pathological muscle tension;
- reduces intradiscal pressure, resulting in a reduction in protrusion;
- increases the vertical diameter of the intervertebral foramen, which leads to decompression of the nerve root and a reduction in swelling;
- eliminates subluxation in the intervertebral joints, which provides a decompressive effect.
ATTENTION! Traction when localizing pathology in the cervical region should be short-term and not intensive (small load!), otherwise stretching of the capsules of the intervertebral joints and increased loosening of the intervertebral joints is possible.
Underwater vertical traction is recommended for patients in the chronic and subacute stages of the disease, horizontal traction - in the acute stage and during exacerbations.
After the procedure, unloading the spine for 1.5 hours and wearing unloading orthopedic corsets are indicated. The indication for prescribing a corset is the cessation of pain during traction (in a vertical position). Unloading corsets provide a decrease in the axial load on the spine as a result of transferring part of the body weight to the iliac bones (in case of pathology in the lumbosacral region) and to the shoulder girdle (in case of pathology in the cervical region).
ATTENTION! Wearing an orthopedic corset must be combined with exercise therapy and massage to avoid progressive weakening of the muscles of the trunk, neck and shoulder girdle.
Limb traction in water is used as a pain-relieving procedure for deforming arthrosis of large joints of the lower limbs (coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis), since it is possible to reduce the mutual pressure of the altered articular surfaces by increasing the diastasis between them. The effectiveness of this therapeutic effect increases in warm water due to the simultaneous improvement of blood circulation in the joint area and relaxation of painfully tense muscles.