Traction Not Beneficial for Low Back Pain

Lower Back Pain Treatment

The use of traction to help treat low back pain has no benefit, despite its widespread use, a new review of studies has found.

"Traction was introduced before it was properly evaluated in high-quality randomized trials, and as an intervention is already part of usual practice," said lead author Judy M.A. Clarke, M.D. "It is hard to convince health care providers not to use it."

Clarke, of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto, and colleagues analyzed data from 24 studies that included 2,177 patients with low back pain. "Neither continuous nor intermittent traction by itself is more effective in improving pain, disability or work absence than placebo, sham or other treatments for patients