1. Setting a Bone or Dislocated Joint with Traction
A broken bone typically needs to be set back in place so that it can heal correctly. In other words, if you have a piece of bone facing the wrong direction, it will never heal if it is not put back where it belongs.
To do this, you will need to apply the right amount of pressure, and traction will be needed in cases that do not involve the nose.
With a nose injury, you will usually need to press inward in the proper direction to set the bones back in place. For other types of injuries, though, the following procedure is best:
1. Grab gloves or a cloth.
2. Get the best grip possible.
3. Determine the proper directional plane of the bone.
4. Begin pulling in the proper direction.
5. Continue to pull slowly, without jerking. If needed, you can gradually increase the strength behind your pulls until the bone is properly aligned.
This process utilizes traction to prevent the surrounding muscles from keeping the bone at an awkward angle. You can also use traction to stop extensive bleeding and to take pressure off of an artery or nerve.