Efficacy of preoperative skin traction for hip fractures: A single-institution prospective randomized controlled trial of skin traction versus no traction

84 patients with hip fractures were randomized to receive pre-operative skin traction or bed rest. The mean time from admission to surgery was 7.5 days. There was no difference in pain, analgesic consumption, leg-length discrepancies and neck-shaft angle discrepancies between the 2 groups in the pre-operative period. There was also no difference between the two groups in fracture reduction quality after surgery (leg length and neck shaft angle discrepancies).