Side effects of traction

[shivvy]

I had a physiotherapy appointment today and the physio used traction on me ie lying flat with legs raised and 18kg weight attached via a machine to a belt around my hips for 10-15 minutes.
After I left the hospital however I felt a bit dizzy and queasy and was wondering if it might have been related to the traction?
I'm fine now and will ask the physio next week when I see him, but I thought I'd ask here out of interest in the meantime.

Thanks.

[midagetrolop]

I had both leg traction for 10 days and then hip traction for another 5 days before I had a laminectomy with no ill effects at all, probably a bit of stress or something like that.

[jackthehat]

I had similar as part of my physio and the physio-terrorist always insisted that I lay still for 10 minutes or so afterwards as the procedure can make some people feel a little dizzy or wobbly.

Did yours not mention this to you?

[Sqad]

This sounds like a postural thing allowing blood to drain from the lower limbs which is causing your dizziness. The heart needs to receive blood from the lower extremities to pump it on to the brain and lying with your legs raised for 15 mins will drain all the blood so that when you take on the upright position, there is little blood to flow back to the heart and this may cause dizziness until the circulation returns to normal.

The advice by the physio of JTH is good advice.

[shivvy]

Thanks for your answers.

The physio gave me a buzzer to press in case I felt unwell while I was having the traction. But I was fine when the traction was happening - it was only after I had left the department that I started to feel unwell. That is what had confused me a bit!
Your explaination makes perfect sense Sqad. I'll be more prepared for next week.