Back Pain Traction

Traction involves using pulleys and weights to stretch the back. The rationale behind traction is to pull the vertebrae apart to allow a bulging disc to slip back into place. Some people experience pain relief while in traction, but that relief is usually temporary. Once traction is released, the stretch is not sustained and back pain is likely to return. There is no scientific evidence that traction provides any long-term benefits for people with back pain.

From Wikipedia - Free Encyclopedia

In orthopaedic medicine, Traction refers to the set of mechanisms for straightening broken bones or relieving pressure on the skeletal system. there are two types of traction skin traction and skeletal traction.

It is largely replaced now by more modern techniques, but certain approaches are still used today:

Buck's traction - hip fractures
Bryant's traction
Russell's traction