Inversion Table – an overview

Chiropractors are an enterprising lot. Due to their mechanical outlook on the way the body functions, they are able to look at treatments from a new angle and come up with solutions that are quite novel in nature. Inversion therapy and inversion tables are one such example.

Inversion therapy essentially refers to the therapeutic use of remaining upside down in order to relieve back pain. There are several different ways to do this including gravity boots and inversion tables. Though it isn’t accepted as a mainstream tool, the use of such methods undoubtedly help relieve back pain – even the experts concede that.

Relieving pressure on the spine

The premise of inversion therapy is that by reversing the pull of gravity on the spine, the pressure on the discs is relieved – thereby enabling them to regain nutrition and blood flow. Chiropractors often recommend regular use of inversion tables as a supplemental treatment to other treatments such as spinal decompression. In fact, inversion therapy is form of spinal decompression.

Image Credit: karenwithak

Benefits of Inversion Therapy

Chiropractors advise Inversion therapy for a number of benefits including improved ligament strength and body posture. There is evidence that inversion therapy aids in better flexibility as well as blood flow. The lymphatic system in particular benefits from the inversion therapy since it doesn’t have it’s own dedicated circulatory system, but borrows off from the action of the muscles.

Athletes frequently make use of inversion therapy to strengthen their muscles and improve circulation. It has also been shown that the procedure aids in the speedy recovery of the muscles after exercise.

Health Risks

Benefits aside, there are several caveats to be noted when performing this procedure. Those at risk are usually only those who are not healthy and have signs and symptoms of heart disease or high blood pressure. Retinal bleeding is also a danger due to the excessive blood flow to this area of the body.

Inversion Therapy and Spinal Decompression

My chiropractors are glad to prescribe some form of inversion therapy while their patients undergo spinal decompression. Inversion tables are most often used for this purpose. Unlike other devices, you don’t hang completely upside down using an inversion table, but are instead gently lowered to an angle that you are comfortable with. It is therefore safe and it feels good too! It is specially useful when treating scoliosis of the spine which we learned about in a previous post.

To learn more about inversion therapy and how it can help you, talk to your chiropractor.