Inversion Table Therapy

No matter what the cause, whether injury, bad posture, a weak back or poor muscle tone in your abdomen, back pain can seem relentless. Chronic pain not only takes a physical toll, but an emotional one as well, including depression and a sense of hopelessness. There are many therapies available, including over-the-counter medication, prescription medications, and physical therapy. However, the benefits of inversion table therapy may be helpful for some, even to the point that other therapies are not as necessary.

Inversion tables work by allowing the body to lie in a position where one's feet are over the head, basically, a position that pulls on the spine and back muscles. There are tables, machines and boots that allow the weight of the body to be supported solely by the ankles; pulling the discs apart and allowing freer blood flow between the disks. Stretching of the muscles and tendons can be beneficial as well due to increased strength and flexibility coming to the abdomen and back muscles from the action, and deepened breathing associated with the overall exercise. Your body weight acts as a natural way to cause traction, and the inversion lengthens the body and spine, relieves disk pressure, and alleviates stress on ligaments and nerve roots.

Additional benefits of inversion table therapy can be seen from the increased oxygenation provided by more blood flow between spinal discs, and the relief of pressure on the nerves. There are a huge number of reasons why your back can go bad, but all you know is that the pain seems unending. Finding a good physical way to help strengthen and stretch the muscles and ligaments along your spine can be an effective way to counteract it and find some relief, but it is not for everybody.

Don't overdo it, though. The natural curves of your back don't need to be rod-straight; use a lumbar roll to maintain the curve at the base of your back if this is a little difficult for you.

Seek the advice of your doctor before you embark on inversion table therapy, or any other kind of physical therapy that has not been sanctioned by a therapist. Do your own research about the risks and benefits of inversion table therapy, including the risks to people with high blood pressure, heart conditions, or women who are pregnant. Since this therapy can cause blood pressure to increase in the head, people with glaucoma are not advised to try it, as are patients who suffer from migraines. The increase in pressure can cause harm to anyone who is affected by pressure-related disorders, and migraine sufferers will probably raise their pain level because of the increased blood flow