What are the benefits of inversion therapy? Potential benefits include reducing pain while improving strength and flexibility. Sometimes, a doctor may even suggest inversion therapy for chronic back pain before turning to surgery. Inversion is also used to decrease muscle tension and boost circulation.
What Is Inversion Therapy?
Inversion therapy is a noninvasive therapy designed to remove gravitational pressure from the spine and create more space between the vertebrae. It’s a form of spinal traction or decompression therapy that relieves spinal compression.A common form or tool of inversion therapy is the inversion table. To use it, you strap yourself into the inversion table, typically by your ankles and sometimes your waist. Then you either hang completely upside down or at an angle. The table moves to whatever angle you choose, but the idea is that your head is below your waist and gravity’s effect on your vertebrae is reversed, pulling them gently apart rather than pressing them together. Other inversion devices include an inversion chair and inversion boots.
How long should you hang upside down on an inversion table? It’s usually recommended to only start with about 30 seconds to one minute of therapy and then gradually increase the time by a minute or two. It’s always a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider or physical therapist for specific recommendations based on your health goals.
Potential Benefits
1. Improvement in Back Pain
A study published in 2013 found inversion traction was an effective treatment for chronic low back pain, though it was a relatively small study. Inversion can be practiced at various degrees. The researchers had the subjects complete three sets of three minute inversions at either 0, −30 or −60 degrees four days a week over an eight-week period.2. Possible Avoidance of Surgery
It’s not a guarantee but some research and firsthand accounts demonstrate how inversion may decrease the need for surgery for some people with chronic back issues.Specifically, surgery was avoided in 10 patients (77 percent) in the inversion group, while it was avoided by only two patients (22 percent) in the control group. The study concludes, “Intermittent traction with an inversion device resulted in a significant reduction in the need for surgery.”
3. Better Posture and Flexibility
Common habits like sitting for too long and a lack of exercise can contribute to poor posture and a lack of flexibility.4. Improved Lymphatic Flow
The body’s lymphatic system is responsible for fluid drainage and transport as well as immune response and disease defense. The fluid that is forced out of the bloodstream during normal circulation gets filtered through our lymph nodes to get rid of harmful substances including bacteria and abnormal cells.Types, Devices, and Techniques
There are several options of equipment and techniques to use if you want to try inversion therapy including:- Inversion table therapy: These are the most common devices used to hang upside down and practice inversion. An inversion therapy table is a padded table that is connected to a metal frame by hinges. There’s also often a removable headrest pillow and an adjustable lumbar support pad as well. To use the table, you strap yourself in (always read equipment directions carefully) and the table flips over or can adjust to varying angles. These tables often range between $99 to $500.
- Inversion therapy chair: In an inversion chair, the head goes below the feet while in a seated position. Unlike a table, a chair may not go all the way back, but you can still reach up to a 70 percent inverted position. Creators of inversion chairs often say they can safely be used alone, that they provide more posture support, and that they put less pressure on the leg joints.
- Anti-gravity inversion boots: These ankle boots allow a user to hang upside down by their feet by hooking them onto a horizontal bar. This inversion option allows for the most maneuverability for inversion therapy exercises.
- Inversion therapy without a table or other equipment: To practice inversion without a table or other equipment, there are various inverted yoga poses (such as a supported headstand).
Risks and Precautions
Are inversion tables dangerous? Possible inversion table risks include increases in: blood pressure; heart rate; or pressure in the eyes. This is why it’s especially crucial for people with high blood pressure, heart disease, or glaucoma to check with their healthcare provider before using an inversion table or any other inversion techniques.Another risk is falling off of inversion equipment while getting on or off of it, or because of not being strapped in properly.
- eye conditions including glaucoma or a detached retina
- heart conditions or circulatory problems
- having an implanted medical device
- fracture
- spinal injury
- hernia
- obesity
- osteoporosis
- pregnancy
- eye infection
- ear infection