A tool for distracting uncinate joints of a cervical spine segment includes two connector arms configured to access the cervical spine segment through soft tissue anterior to the cervical spine segment. The connector arms form respective receptacles for holding extensions coupled to respective distractor tips so as to position the distractor tips at distal ends of the connector arms and in the cervical spine segment. The tool further includes a control coupled to proximate ends of the connector arms and configured to adjust distance between the connector arms, at least at the distal ends, to distract the uncinate joints with the distractor tips. A system for distracting uncinate joints of a cervical spine segment includes a pair of distractor tips for insertion into the uncinate joints, respectively, along a medial-to-lateral direction from intervertebral disc space of the cervical spine segment, to distract the uncinate joints.
