that lumbar traction is not moreeffective than sham traction (level C). There is no evidence for the effectiveness of lumbartraction compared with other treatments in the treatment ofchronic low back pain (level D). Recommendation We cannot recommend lumbar traction as a treatment forchronic low back pain. References Bihaug O (1978) Autotraksjon for ischialgpasienter; en kon- trollert sammenlikning mellom effekten av Auto-trakjson-B orisometriske ovelser ad modum Hume endall eg enkins. Fys-ioterapeuten, 45: 377-9. British (1966) Pain in the neck and arm: a multicentre trial ofthe effects of physiotherapy, arranged by the British Associa-tion of Physical Medicine. Br Med J, 5482: 253-8. Coxhead CE, Inskip H, Meade TW, North WR, Troup JD(1981) Multicentre trial of physiotherapy in the managementof sciatic symptoms. Lancet, 1(8229): 1065-8. Goldie I, Landquist A (1970) Evaluation of the effects of dif-ferent forms of physiotherapy in cervical pain. Scand J Reha-bil Med, 2(2): 117-21. Larsson U, Choler U, Lidstrom A, Lind G, Nachemson A,Nilsson B, Roslund J (1980) Auto-traction for treatment oflumbago-sciatica. A multicentre controlled investigation. ActaOrthop Scand, 51(5): 791-8. Lidstrom A, Zachrisson M (1970) Physical therapy on lowback pain and sciatica. An attempt at evaluation. Scand J Re-habil Med, 2(1): 37-42. Ljunggren AE, Weber H, Larsen S (1984) Autotraction versusmanual traction in patients with prolapsed lumbar interverte-bral discs. Scand J Rehabil Med, 16(3): 117-24. Mathews JA, Hickling J (1975) Lumbar traction: a double-blindcontrolled study for sciatica. Rheumatol Rehabil, 14(4): 222-5. Mathews JA, Mills SB, Jenkins VM, Grimes SM, Morkel MJ,Mathews W, Scott CM, Sittampalam Y (1987) Back pain andsciatica: controlled trials of manipulation, traction, sclerosantand epidural injections. Br J Rheumatol, 26(6): 416-23. Pal B, Mangion P, Hossain MA, Diffey BL (1986) A con-trolled trial of continuous lumbar traction in the treatment ofback pain and sciatica. Br J Rheumatol, 25(2): 181-3. Reust P, Chantraine A, Vischer TL (1988) [Treatment of lum-bar sciatica with or without neurological deficit using me-chanical traction. A double-blind study]. Schweiz MedWochenschr, 118(8): 271-4. van den Hoogen HM, Koes BW, van Eijk JT, Bouter LM(1995) On the accuracy of history, physical examination, anderythrocyte sedimentation rate in diagnosing low back pain ingeneral practice. A criteria-based review of the literature.Spine, 20(3): 318-27. van der Heijden GJ, Beurskens AJ, Koes BW, Assendelft WJ,de Vet HC, Bouter LM (1995) The efficacy of traction forback and neck pain: a systematic, blinded review of random-ized clinical trial methods. Phys Ther, 75(2): 93-104. van der Heijden GJ, Bouter LM, Terpstra-Lindeman E (1970)De effectiviteit van tractie bij lage rugklachten: de resultatenvan een pilotstudy. Ned T Fysiotherapie, 2: 117-21. 15. Walker L, Svenkerud T, Weber H (1982) Traksjonsbehan-dling ved lumbago-ischias: en kontrollert undersolske medSpina-trac. Fysioterapeuten, 48: 161-3. Weber H (1972) Har traksjonbehandling noen effect ved is-chias forarsaket skiveprolpas? Tidskr Nor Laegeforen, 92:2243-6. Weber H (1973) Traction therapy in sciatica due to disc pro-lapse (does traction treatment have any positive effect on pa-tients suffering from sciatica caused by disc prolapse?). J OsloCity Hosp, 23(10): 167-76. Weber H, Ljunggren AE, Walker L (1984) Traction therapy inpatients with herniated lumbar intervertebral discs. J Oslo CityHosp, 34(7-8): 61-70.