traction
medicine
Quick Summary
In medicine, traction is a therapeutic technique used to counteract muscle pull on the skeleton. It is primarily employed to reduce and stabilize fractures and to prevent muscle shortening. Traction can be applied externally using ropes and pulleys attached to the skin via adhesive tape, or internally by fastening directly to the skeleton with metal pins drilled into the bone. This method creates a pulling force that helps align broken bones, allowing them to heal properly.12
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