Which is a contraindication to spinal traction?

• A. Lumbar sprain.
• B. Chronic low back pain.
• C. Acute fracture.
• D. Mild degenerative changes.

Answer: (C)

Traction is a treatment that applies longitudinal forces to the spine to relieve pressure or muscle spasm, but it can only be used when the spine is stable and the bones are intact. An acute fracture means the bone structure is not secure yet, so applying traction could shift fracture fragments, worsen instability, or injure the spinal cord or nerve roots. The risk of displacement or acceleration of damage is why an acute fracture is a clear prohibition for spinal traction.

Lumbar sprain and chronic low back pain reflect soft-tissue or non-acute problems that don’t inherently compromise bone stability, so traction isn’t ruled out on their own. Mild degenerative changes likewise don’t mandate avoiding traction, though they might influence how treatment is applied. The key idea is that only when the bone itself is acutely fractured do we avoid traction to prevent further injury.