INVERSION TABLE BENEFITS
Inversion table benefits are not restricted only to the relief of back pain, which can be caused by any number of factors: poor posture; a damaged back due to overuse of certain sports, an accident that damaged the back, certain spinal birth defects, and certainly just plain old gravity taking its toll on the spine. As you’ll see below, inversion table benefits the entire body.
The concept behind inversion tables is simple and has been around since the days of Hippocrates, the acclaimed Father of Medicine. In brief, the spine’s vertebrae are separated by a cushy material called a “disc”. This disc allows smooth motion of the spine and holds the vertebrae apart. Over time gravity forces the vertebrae to compress on the discs, and therefore the discs lose their integrity. Without proper functioning of the discs, the vertebrae can lock in place instead of having their full range of motion. This causes the supporting muscles to tighten, spasm, and/or become inflamed. Nerves that pass through the vertebrae can get impinged, producing severe pain or numbness.
The common factor to all this is pain, and often times chronic, unrelieved pain.
Depending on the severity, there are very few alternatives to relieving back pain. If minor, sometimes pain pills or certain exercises will help; but for people with severe chronic pain, there is very little outside of surgery or simply living with the pain. An inversion table benefits those with back pain, is one excellent choice that is known to produce fantastic results to the greater number of people who use it.
Inversion Table Benefits–Some Specifics
Let’s look at some specific inversion table benefits:
- The body is allowed to stretch and realign itself. By inverting, the vertebrae are realigned and the vertebral muscles and ligaments relax, relieving pain. In general, backache is relieved, as the constant pressure on the vertebrae is lessened. This frees the discs, impinged nerves and the facet joints.
- The intervertebral discs, that is, the discs between the vertebrae, are decompressed. This allows them to regain their elasticity and resilience. Inflamed muscles around the spine begin to heal and soften.
- When inverted the body’s muscles relax, which promotes permeation of tissues and organs with oxygenated blood. This is vitally important as not only the internal organs are nourished, but also the periphery such as skin, hair and nails.
- Muscular inflammation is relieved.
- Ligaments are strengthened.
- Aids in venous circulation which helps relieve varicose veins. Overall the boy is oxygenated, which improves cellular function.
- Halting the constant gravity pull on the internal organs allows those organs to relax and even decongest.
- Good posture is restored. When doing core exercises while inverted, muscles are strengthened especially muscles that support the spine, while at the same time other muscles become appropriately relaxed. A realignment and stability is restored to the body which is evident in improved posture.
- Oxygenated blood flows to the brain, bringing calm and greater clarity.
- Decompressing the cervical spine (neck) relieves headaches and tension in the head caused by tight neck and shoulder muscles.
- The blood and lymph nodes receive accelerated cleansing due to improved circulation. Lymph fluid often becomes stagnated in people, due to not having its own circulatory source. Inversion creates a reverse gravity that induces the lymph fluid to drain, decreasing stagnation. Draining lymph is vital to the removal of waste products and in the transportation of white blood cells, which are the major component of the immune system.
As you see, inversion table benefits not only the spine, but assists the entire body.
Let’s look at some research on the effects of inversion to support my statements.
Here is a summation from a paper by Sheffield, F. “Adaptation of Tilt Table for Lumbar Traction.” Arch Phys Med Rehabil 45 (Sep. 1964): 469-472.
The study was on 175 patients who were unable to work due to back pain. With only 8 inversion treatments, 155 were able to go back to work full time. The main reason for improvement, according to the study, was the stretching of the vertebral muscles and ligaments and widening of the discs. There were a variety of diagnosis that found improvement, including but not limited to, sciatica, herniated discs and osteoarthritis.
Here is another by Nosse, L. “Inverted Spinal Traction.” Arch Phys Med Rehabil 59 (Aug. 1978):367-370.
This study recorded EMG activity during inversion. An EMG shows severity of muscle pain. In this finding the EMG found a 35% decline in pain within the first 10 seconds of inversion, due to increase in spinal length. That’s very impressive.
Inversion Table Benefits Over Other Forms of Inversion
In truth, we don’t need an inversion table to benefit from inversion, but to me it is by far the most convenient and complete method of decompressing the spine.
One method of inverting is by using inversion boots, by which you hang upside down from a bar. This method was used by the U.S. Army Physical Fitness School. They determined that the soldiers who inverted regularly had fewer injuries related to their joints, and their joints also healed quicker from joint compression damage.
Quoting Lieutenant Colonel Rieger, Cammanding officer of the USAPFS in Fort Benning, GA, “Your inversion boots and
table provide an ideal way to mitigate the stress of jumping, running, and other strenuous tasks we require our soldiers to regularly perform. We intend to include inverted decompression and mobilization in future Army-wide physical training doctrine. You might also be interested to know that the physical therapy department of our post hospital here at Fort Benning also uses your table.”
They were using Teeter Hang Ups inversion equipment, which I personally recommend, as I feel they are the producers of the best inversion equipment, specifically their Teeter Hang Ups inversion tables.
This is a very encouraging testimonial; however, if you look at the photo of the troops suspended upside down in their inversion boots, you might think this is a little more than you’re willing to do. Inversion table benefits allow for a relaxed, gradual inversion that I think is far less potentially stressful to the body than total inversion using the boots as these troops do. With hanging inversion such as this, there is complete traction on the spine immediately, rather than allowing the spine and muscles to acclimate to the reverse pull of gravity.
The use of inversion chairs is another popular method to invert, however they only allow up to 70 degree inversions, which can be a handicap if you want to progress to a full 90 degree inversion, which provides the most benefit in terms of spinal decompression. Also you are not able to perform the core strengthening exercises, and full body stretches, in a chair like you can on a table.
Slant boards are a mini-inversion method, but it can be done at home. You could literally rig up a board that is tilted against the wall, and lay on it. I don’t consider this particularly safe. You can also buy slant boards that are made for this purpose, but the degree of slant is very minimal compared to that of other forms of inversion.
Inversion Table Benefits: Teeter Hang Ups Over Any Other Brand
Overall, the inversion table benefits far outweigh the benefits of other forms of inversion, though of course the table is not for everyone and one of these other methods may be more appropriate for you. However, if you are looking specifically for an inversion table, I can not stress enough that the Teeter Hang Ups is an excellent table to own. Here are some reasons:
- A smooth steel surface that prevents friction when inverting and elongating, and is easy to clean
- A Flex Technology that allows the steel bed to move with you, permitting greater range of motion, especially when doing stretches or exercises
- No nylon, vinyl or cloth beds to rip or tear
- Precision balancing that allows full control of the bed, even when doing exercises
- Quiet. A derattler knob reduces shifting for a quiet rotation
- Certified to UL safety standards for inversion tables.
- Comes 85% pre-assembled
- Easy to fold and store
- Five year warranty
- Comes with a core system stretching and exercise guide, core system E-mail series, and bonus DVD material which includes five 10-20 minute exercise and stretching healthy back classes
Inversion table benefits for the back are numerous. If you suffer back pain, seriously consider getting an inversion table if you do not already have one. Teeter Hang Ups has the best inversion table benefits, and you can read more about that model here; or you can go directly to their site and purchase a Teeter Hang Ups inversion table here:
>>Click here to purchase a Teeter Hang Ups inversion table<<
