Nov 01 2007
Pros and Cons to Choosing a Back Pain Inversion Table
Back pain inversion tables are classic pain relievers. Many people choose these tables because of their simplicity and ease.
A back pain inversion table is simply a padded table that the user straps himself to. The table can then be flipped, putting the user in an inverted position. Some of the newer models do not use straps. These employ padded bars that the user slips their feet under. This keeps the user in place as they are flipped up-side down.
Back pain inversions tables work by using gravity to put pressure on the spinal cord, stretching it out. This can decompress the disks in the back, as well as loosen the muscles around it. This effectively relieves back pain.
Here are the pros and cons to choosing a back pain inversion table.
Pros
Many people love back pain inversion tables because they can ease back pain without the use of medication or herbal supplements. This really appeals to those who look for all-natural, no chemical pain treatments.
Other people love back pain inversion tables because they are so easy to use. In fact, they are a study in simple medicine. They don’t require a lot of complicated assembly, they don’t have complicated instructions, and the medical principals behind them are simple to understand.
The use of a back pain inversion table also helps to correct bad posture, which can inadvertently ease back pain.
Cons
The real cons of back pain inversion tables have to do with storage. Back pain inversion tables are very bulky and are not easy to store out of the way. They also require quite a bit of floor space when in use. Usually, it takes around six square feet of clear floor space to operate a back pain inversion table. Many people don’t have this kind of room to spare in their homes and apartments. The die-hard user may find that it is worth moving the furniture aside to use the back pain inversion table, though.
Also, some people find that hanging up-side down is very uncomfortable. This can be due to joint pain, chafing from the straps, blood rushing to the head, or fear of hanging up-side down. These tables are also not a great idea for those who have weak ankles or joint problems in the ankles.
Just as with any pain killer, there are always upsides and downsides. To choose the one that is right for you, you must weigh the pros with the cons and choose what you are most comfortable with.
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I noticed an article on Web MD where they don’t recomend them.
“Steer clear of inversion tables. They’re marketed to people with back problems. But beware: These gizmos can be hazardous, putting too much pressure on your lower back. ”
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/74/89376.htm
I had been thinking of getting one because I suffer from low back problems and am currently recovering from a bulged disk. Do you have any medical journal articles that support your claim of the benefits of inversion?
Question I just purchased an inversion table for my spinal issues. When I proceeded I began to experience nausea and a head ache. Any other studies that have revealed this symptom? Thanks
Does anyone have a copy of the WebMD article referenced above? That link is a bad link on WedMD and searching for it on WebMD produced no results. I’d really like to see their opinions on the Cons of inversion therapy (along with any other Cons I get to review this form of treatment). Thanks!
This has to do with exercise in the inverted position, not using the inversion table to relieve back pain…
From the information I have read on a multitude of web sites, Inversion Tables are also a HUGE help for people who suffer from Fibromyalgia. It has even been an asset when helping people reduce the amount of pain killers they take while suffering from Fibromyalgia.
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/passive-exercise-whole-body-vibration?page=4
The article site
I work at a fitness place, selling fitness equipment, & inversion tables work amazing for back problems. I have had nobody try and return a table with something negative that happened while using the tables. I myself had a bulged L4 disc and ruptured my L3…..went to chiropractors for 2-3 weeks, did help a tiny bit.
Then I found out about inversion tables, used one for 1-2 weeks and haven’t been to a chiropractor since. I have also picked back up into a resistance training routine because my back is great again.
New users will usually get feelings of the face/head exploding because they are not used to the sudden rush of blood to the head. This goes away 99% of the time as you get more used to it. After a week I was doing up to 10 minutes.
The owner of our fitness company is 80 years old and he now does up to 20 minutes at a time on the inversion table.
I had sciatic pain due to a bulging disk. That pain was solved with nerve root injections. I bought and tried an inversion table and it didn’t help the sciatic pain problem. A couple of years later I started to have low back pain problems, probably do the bulging disk since the back pain was on the same side as the sciatic pain. The inversion table helped releive the back pain and made it much easier to sleep. I would sit in a hot tube then hang from the inversion table for two, five minute periods. Back pain was much better and allowed me to sleep better. Hot tube alone did not do the trick. Since I know I am prone to back pain I hang from the inversion table almost everyday.