A bone distraction system comprising: a distractor including a distractor body, the distractor body having a sleeve and a screw, the screw positioned at least partially within the sleeve such that: 1) the screw is rotatable relative to the sleeve about an axis of rotation in a first direction of rotation only upon application of a first torque to the screw in the first direction of rotation, the first torque being equal to or greater than a first minimum torque value; and 2) the screw is rotatable relative to the sleeve about the axis of rotation in a second direction of rotation only upon application of a second torque to the screw in the second direction of rotation, the second torque being equal to or greater than a second minimum torque value, both the first minimum torque value and the second minimum torque value greater than 0 Nm; a first footplate configured to be attached to a first bone segment and a second footplate configured to be attached to a second bone segment, the first footplate configured to be attached to the sleeve, the second footplate configured to be attached to the screw such that rotation of the screw causes the second footplate to translate along the axis of rotation relative to the screw and relative to the first footplate to adjust a distance between the first footplate and the second footplate; and a torque application instrument including a surface that is configured to receive an input torque, and a transfer mechanism that receives at least a portion of the input torque and is configured to engage the screw so as to apply an output torque to the screw, the torque application instrument defining a first maximum value for the output torque in the first direction of rotation, the first maximum value being greater than each of the first minimum torque value and the second minimum torque value, the torque application instrument further defining a second maximum value for the output torque in the second direction of rotation, characterized in that the second maximum value is less than each of the first minimum torque value and the second minimum torque value. a distractor including a distractor body, the distractor body having a sleeve and a screw, the screw positioned at least partially within the sleeve such that: 1) the screw is rotatable relative to the sleeve about an axis of rotation in a first direction of rotation only upon application of a first torque to the screw in the first direction of rotation, the first torque being equal to or greater than a first minimum torque value; and 2) the screw is rotatable relative to the sleeve about the axis of rotation in a second direction of rotation only upon application of a second torque to the screw in the second direction of rotation, the second torque being equal to or greater than a second minimum torque value, both the first minimum torque value and the second minimum torque value greater than 0 Nm; a first footplate configured to be attached to a first bone segment and a second footplate configured to be attached to a second bone segment, the first footplate configured to be attached to the sleeve, the second footplate configured to be attached to the screw such that rotation of the screw causes the second footplate to translate along the axis of rotation relative to the screw and relative to the first footplate to adjust a distance between the first footplate and the second footplate; and a torque application instrument including a surface that is configured to receive an input torque, and a transfer mechanism that receives at least a portion of the input torque and is configured to engage the screw so as to apply an output torque to the screw, the torque application instrument defining a first maximum value for the output torque in the first direction of rotation, the first maximum value being greater than each of the first minimum torque value and the second minimum torque value, the torque application instrument further defining a second maximum value for the output torque in the second direction of rotation, characterized in that the second maximum value is less than each of the first minimum torque value and the second minimum torque value.