Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33715638›Full record

ReviewArchives of physiotherapy2021

Vertical traction for lumbar radiculopathy: a systematic review.

Carla Vanti, Luca Turone, Alice Panizzolo, Andrew A Guccione, Lucia Bertozzi, Paolo Pillastrini

Registry-linked trialAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Archives of physiotherapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06812338 (Effect of Different Positions During Traction on Pain, Function, and Range of Motion in Adults with Non-specific Low Back Pain), which is not on this map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06812338 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Effect of Different Positions During Traction on Pain, Function, and Range of Motion in Adults with Non-specific Low Back Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorPrince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz UniversityRan2025 to 2025Enrolled30ConditionsNon-specific Low Back Pain, Lumbar TractionArmsmechanical traction
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Carla VantiDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Luca TuroneDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy. lucaturone@gmail.com.
Alice PanizzoloDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Andrew A GuccioneDepartment of Rehabilitation Science, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA.
Lucia BertozziSchool of Physical Therapy, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Paolo PillastriniDepartment of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOnly low-quality evidence is currently available to support the effectiveness of different traction modalities in the treatment of lumbar radiculopathy (LR). Yet, traction is still very commonly used in clinical practice. Some authors have suggested that the subgroup of patients presenting signs and symptoms of nerve root compression and unresponsive to movements centralizing symptoms may benefit from lumbar traction. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of vertical traction (VT) on pain and activity limitation in patients affected by LR.

methodsWe searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and PEDro from their inception to March 31, 2019 to retrieve RCTs on adults with LR using VT to reduce pain and activity limitation. We considered only trials reporting complete data on outcomes. Two reviewers selected the studies, extracted the results, and performed the quality assessment using the Risk of Bias and GRADE tools.

resultsThree studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the heterogeneity of the included studies. We found very low quality evidence for a large effect of VT added to bed rest when compared to bed rest alone (g = - 1.01; 95% CI = -2.00 to - 0.02). Similarly, VT added to medication may have a large effect on pain relief when compared to medication alone (g = - 1.13; 95% CI = -1.72 to - 0.54, low quality evidence). Effects of VT added to physical therapy on pain relief were very small when compared to physical therapy without VT (g = - 0.14; 95% CI = -1.03 to 0.76, low quality evidence). All reported effects concerned short-term effect up to 3 months post-intervention.

conclusionsWith respect to short-term effects, VT may have a positive effect on pain relief if added to medication or bed rest. Long-term effects of VT are currently unknown. Future higher quality research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change these conclusions.

Indexed as

Disability evaluationIntervertebral disc diseaseLow Back painPain managementRadiating painRandomized controlled trialsSciaticaTraction

Identifiers

PMID33715638
PMCPMC7958699

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.