Balanced suspension traction is best described by which statement?

Balanced suspension traction is best described by which statement?

• A. Requires pins, screws, and wires surgically inserted into bone for applying traction force using externally applied weights.
• B. Most often utilized with a simple, non-displaced fracture.
• C. Requires no immobilization.
• D. Is a form of external fixation.

Answer: (A)

Balanced suspension traction relies on skeletal traction, where pins, screws, or wires are surgically inserted into bone and traction is applied with external weights. That setup creates a controlled, balanced pull across the fracture, helping to realign and lengthen the limb while it heals. Because hardware is anchored in bone and the traction force is delivered externally through weights and pulleys, this description fits skeletal traction best. It isn’t about simple, non-displaced fractures, which often don’t require traction. Traction also involves immobilizing the limb within the traction setup, so a statement claiming no immobilization isn’t correct. And while it uses bone-anchored hardware with external forces, it isn’t simply a fixed external frame like some external fixators, which is a different category of stabilization.

Balanced suspension traction relies on skeletal traction, where pins, screws, or wires are surgically inserted into bone and traction is applied with external weights. That setup creates a controlled, balanced pull across the fracture, helping to realign and lengthen the limb while it heals. Because hardware is anchored in bone and the traction force is delivered externally through weights and pulleys, this description fits skeletal traction best.

It isn’t about simple, non-displaced fractures, which often don’t require traction. Traction also involves immobilizing the limb within the traction setup, so a statement claiming no immobilization isn’t correct. And while it uses bone-anchored hardware with external forces, it isn’t simply a fixed external frame like some external fixators, which is a different category of stabilization.