Course Description:

Cervical traction is a conservative treatment for neck pain and symptoms associated with mechanical neck pathology such as disc herniation or muscle spasm. It is used primarily for patients presenting with radiating upper extremity symptoms and signs indicative of cervical radiculopathy, such as sensory, motor, and reflex deficits and provocation with foraminal compression. Proposed mechanisms for its effects include decreasing paraspinal muscle spasm, opening intervertebral foramina, increasing intervertebral disc space, improving vertebral alignment, and improving disc hydration. Cervical disc herniation has been shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to resolve during cervical traction, and increases in the length of the cervical vertebral column have been reported. Traction may be applied mechanically or manually. Mechanical traction involves the use of a device that produces a tensile force via a cable attached to a motor. An adjustable harness is usually used to secure the patient’s head to the cable. A lack of evidence to support its effectiveness points to the need for more studies.