can't wrap my head around traction

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Hey all,

I'm not a new nurse but don't quite get traction. I understand it's supposed to "align, immobilize and decrease muscle spasm" but how? I mean, to me, pulling on a limb would separate and pull apart the fracture more? I just don't get it. Thanks.

Z

[Gennaver, MSN]

Hi,

I see this is an older post but, no replies yet, so here is one.

Bones are the structure and frame for our muscles. They have the origin and insertion site where our muscles attach as an anchor to work as pullies.

When the bone is broken then it throws the whole muscle out of alignment. Since that happens the muscle no longer has its accusomted origin and insertion point so it spasms trying to realign, (think something like a non-stop cramp to put it mildly I hear.)

Not only that but the fracture bone out of alignment also can compromise neuro-vascular status too.

With traction the bone is re-aligned back to near or where it belongs allowing the muscle, neuro and vascular areas involved to 'relax'.

Does that help at all?

Gen

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Bingo. Bone breaks, muscle now contracts out of pain and with the release from being pulled all the time. So in comes traction of all kinds. Drill a hole insert a rod/pin put a horseshoe on and run a rope over a pulley at the end of the Balkan frame. over 1 pulley with 5# wt hanging you get 5# of pull. Not enough add another pulley and you double the weight. A femur is going to take 30 to 40# to over come muscle spasm. Ergo make a combination of weights and pulleys and you overcome the muscle spasm.

Then you have to make sure that the horseshoe hooked to the pin is in direct line with the rope, pulleys and weights. Weights can't touch the floor then they're just obstructions with no use. Off the floor the go to work.

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/elastic+traction

scroll down for the picture, BUT you probably won't see much traction now days. It's greet 'em treat (operate) 'em, and street 'em. In and out simple femur fracture 6-8 days instead of months in tx.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

http://www.wheelessonline.com/orthofemoral_and_tibial_traction_pins

try this also