Used most often to treat back pain, traction therapy is a passive treatment that uses mechanical force to stretch soft tissue, with continuous or intermittent pulling. Traction therapy uses specialty equipment designed to maximize the effects of gravity. Traction works by gently pulling the spine in opposite directions, reducing pressure on the discs, and increasing the space from which nerves exit the spinal cord. Traction is beneficial for conditions such as disc prolapses and nerve impingements.