Inversion Table for Back Pain and Sciatica: Does it Work?

10 seconds.

For many people, it only takes a few seconds to relieve their back pain once they hop on their inversion table.

Can you imagine never looking at your medicine cabinet again? Can you imagine forgetting about injections, endless physical therapy and possible surgery?

If you do a little research around the web, you’ll find thousands of people claiming that back pain is now just a painful memory.

Tight muscles melt like butter. Sharp nerve pain and Sciatica pain disappear.

And all because of some daily-hanging-upside-down at home.

Inversion Table for Back Pain: Is It Proven to Work?

Inversion therapy has been around for over 2,000 years, ever since Hippocrates strapped his patients to a ladder with ropes and hoisted them in the air to help relieve back pain and other ailments.

One recent study performed at prestigious Newcastle University in England studied two groups of sciatica patients with herniated discs and pain so severe they had already been scheduled for surgery.

Both groups received physical therapy. But only one added regular inversion therapy to their routine.

At the end of the four-week study, 22% of those in the control group without inversion recovered enough to cancel surgery. But in the group which added inversion therapy… 77% canceled their upcoming back surgery!

How Does Inverting for Back Pain Work?

Simply put, an inversion table takes the load off your back.

It’s a gentle, passive way to target pain at the source and care for all weight-bearing joints.

Hanging upside down at a certain angle (I’ll get to that below) is the ideal stretch for your spine, and here’s why:

Benefits of Inversion Table for Back Pain

1. Immediate pain relief by relieving Pressure – according to research, inverting at a 60 degree angle increases the space between the vertebrae. This can stop your pain immediately.

If you suffer from a bulging or herniated disc, the pain you feel is caused by a pressure on the nerves around the discs. If you relieve the pressure, the pain stops. It’s a simple as that.

Here’s one testimonial found on the Spine-Health.com forum:

I am 72 years old.  My back pain was primarily in the morning upon arising…Pilates, yoga and toe touches help somewhat in stretching out those muscles.  But, when I started using my Teeter Inversion Table, the difference was like night and day.  After the first usage, I could stand and walk straight upright and the effect would last until the next day…I’ve found that if I do NOT use the inversion table for three or four days that my distorted walk and back pain tends to come back.  So, I use the inversion table at least once and sometimes twice per day to keep my body more limber.

2. Long-term and complete cure – this is achieved by the rehydrating of the discs. When you give your discs this “break” from gravity, it allows for the moisture to be absorbed into the soft tissue of the discs, allowing for nutrients to absorb better and thus promoting the natural healing of a bulging, slipped, or herniated disc in your spine.

But you won’t achieve that in one session, give it a few weeks and maybe you could cancel your back surgery. Many people have.

3. Realigning of the spine – the decompression of the spine allows the spine misalignment to “fall” back into place.

Here’s one testimonial from the City-Data.com forum:

I read lots of reviews on using inversion tables for lower back issues. Mixed reviews but many said it helped. So a week ago I purchased one. Wow, has it helped! I started slow, relaxed and did not force the inversion too fast. The second time I used the table I was totally relaxed and about 80 degrees back. I felt a hard pop and click in the back and felt a cool feeling run down to my legs where the nerve had been pinched for months. I could feel my feet fully again! I felt the disk pop back in and it was the most wonderful feeling ever!

4. Relaxing tensed muscles – when you invert, the muscles are gently stretched, circulation increases and the tensed muscles finally get the real rest they need to heal.

 How to Use Inversion for Back Pain? 

Inverting is a form of an exercise or a stretch, so you have to know what you’re doing to prevent damage and injury to your back.

Inverting starts with a very low angle at first (20 – 30 degrees), and many times you won’t even have to increase the angle to achieve good results.

Modern inversion tables are comfortable padded seats. Getting started with inverting has never been easier.

You just:

1 – Sit down
2 – Snap the ankle pads and seatbelt snugly in place
3 – Lean back

As you lean back, the chair automatically converts to a flat table. Gravity and your own body weight combine to gently stretch your back.

And that’s when the magic happens.

Space between compacted vertebrae increases. Pressure on spinal discs is relieved. Bulging and herniated discs begin to heal – and even slip back into their normal position.

None the less, consult with your physical therapist or chiropractor before you start inverting at home.

 According to the Teeter Hang Ups Manual, beginners should start with only 1-2 minutes per session and advance only as they feel comfortable.

You could feel soreness at the beginning, just like with “normal” stretches that you do. Just reduce the angle or the duration and move more gradually with the exercises.

Here’s a helpful video demonstration showing how to adjust and use an inversion table:

Inversion Table Risks/Side Effects

If you suffer from any of these conditions, you should check with your doctor before trying an inversion table:

Middle ear infection, Conjunctivitis, Recent stroke or transient ischemic attack, Extreme obesity, High blood pressure , Bone weakness (osteoporosis) ,Pregnancy, Hypertension, Recent or unhealed fractures, Hiatal hernia , Heart or circulatory disorders, Medullary pins, Ventral hernia, Spinal injury , Surgically implanted orthopedic supports, Glaucoma, Cerebral sclerosis, Use of anticoagulants (including high doses of aspirin), Retinal detachment, Acutely swollen joints.

Where and How to Buy an Inversion Table

As always, I remind you to consult with your doctor before you start using inversion for back pain.

 Inversion tables can be divided into two basic categories:

• Manual (controlled by your own body weight and gravity)
• Automatic units (which have a remote control that allows you to invert at the push of the button).

Most gravity tables can be set at any angle through a specified range, while others will only rest at pre-set angles, such as 20, 30 and 60 degrees.

 You should choose a table that fits your body: compare the weight limits on each table to choose one within your weight range.

 According to the Healthy Back Institute’s Inversion Table Guide, most tables cost between $200 and $600. If you are looking for quality, look for tables in the $300 to $350 range.

[yellowbox]If you want to make a smart buy – check out my complete inversion table buying guide [/yellowbox]

What about you? Have you ever tried a gravity table for your back pain? I’d love to read your experience with it in the comments below.

To your health and happiness

Meital

P.S

Do you know why gorgeous actress Eva Mendez has an inversion table at home? And why author Dan Brown has once too? It’s not because they have back pain…

You’ll be amazed by the other incredible benefits of inversion therapy