Traction for low-back pain with or without sciatica         Wegner et al (2013)
                                     Overview of the study
       Objectives
       • To assess the effects of traction compared to placebo, sham traction, reference
         treatments and no treatment in people with LBP
       Methods
       • Evidence current up to 24 August 2012
       • Participants: Adults (18 and older) treated for LBP; in the acute, subacute or
         chronic phases, with or without sciatica
       • Interventions: Any type of traction
       • Outcomes: 
            o Primary outcomes: Pain intensity, back-pain-specific functional status, 
                   global measure of improvement, return-to-work 
            o Secondary outcomes: not specified
     Traction for low-back pain with or without sciatica               Wegner et al (2013)
                                           Results & Conclusions
     •   32 trials (2762 participants) 
      Interventions                                  Evidence                                   Quality of 
                                                                                                evidence
                       Not effective for patients with acute, sub-acute or chronic pain        Low to  
                       with sciatica at short-term                                             Moderate
                       Little or no difference in effect compared to sham treatment for        Moderate
         Traction      patients with chronic LBP without sciatica at short-term
                       Little or no difference in effect compared to placebo or other 
                       treatments for patients with mixed symptom patterns (acute,             Low to  
                       subacute, chronic LBP with/without sciatica) at both short and          Moderate
                       long-term
        Traction &     Compared to physiotherapy alone, no better results for pain,            Low to 
     physiotherapy     functional status or global improvement at short-term                   Moderate
       Adverse events: Seven studies reported events, such as increased pain, aggravation of symptoms 
         and anxiety during treatment
       These trials do not provide evidence that traction (either alone or in combination with other 
         treatments) has a moderate or large effect on patients with LBP, with or without sciatica