Inversion Tables for Back Pain

The worst part about an inversion table is getting stuck upside down when you're out of energy. I use a foam roller and one of those blow up yoga balls. Saves me sooo much room in my little apartment.

I hate back pain it gets me throughout the day. Not severe but enough to mess with my head. I'm very interested in the teeter hang up. I have a "true back" but haven't really used it yet.

I have a teeter...... use it off and on for the last 6 years....... as you are inverted it opens the spine and allows more blood to flow to areas that were compressed plus many other benefits....Takes a bit to get comfortable with the blood rush too the head. Just relax and go with it.

People can say what they want about yoga but honestly I think it's awesome for the whole body

Getting stuck isn't an issue with inversion tables.

Your table isn't adjusted for your height and weight. The pivot points on every make of table I have seen all have three positions.

I had 1 for a couple years and took it to goodwill. Biggest waste of money I ever spent

We have an Ironman 4000 table we bought on Amazon.

Make sure you get something that's got decent height adjustability and sturdy, comfortable ankle restraints.

I like that fact that you can limit the inversion angle with ours. When you first start out, going too inverted is hard on you. Ease into the angle.

H

I've had one for about seven years and love it. The main advice I would give is to ease yourself into the inversion. Also you DON'T have to hang totally upside down like a bat to get benefits, a slight angle or even flat will help immensely. Obviously this depends on what is actually wrong with your back and other orthopedic factors unique to you.

I am sure these things work for most people, but I had a terrible experience with the one I tried.

I was at a BIG 5 and one of the salesmen told me to try out.....The SECOND I went vertical I could feel something was off in my back, but he told me to give it a few minutes to let the table straighten me out.

When I went to get up I thought I was going to die, I literally couldn't walk without screaming in pain. My buddies had to literally carry me out of the store, into the car, and then onto my couch where I laid for 2 straight days.


Honestly it probably has nothing to do with the table and it was just my back ( damn dirt bikes) but it was enough to keep me from ever getting on one again.

After my lower spine cracks I am done - can't stand the blood rush to the head

When I got my Relax the Back inversion table in 1998 it came with a VHS video. After two years of hanging I decided to finally watch the video. Short version is the best way to use an inversion table is to FIRST have it properly adjusted to where you can right yourself simply by lowering your arms to your sides and in some cases bending your knees slightly.

After proper adjustment you can swing back and forth by using your arms as counterweights. I don't have to grab or pull to right myself on my table. Swinging back and forth (as in coming back up and then inverting again) is much better than just hanging. The swinging method takes fuller advantage of the traction part of using an inversion table.

This also alleviates the blood rush complaints we hear from newbies. BTW Dr Oz put a woman on a table and left her there for several minutes. I sent an e mail to his website telling him that is the last thing you want to do to a first time user. Like anything you have to work into it. I had gravity boots in the 80s and could hang for up to ten minutes without bursting any capillaries but I worked up to this time. The gravity boots worked but stress your knees too much IMHO.

I got a different type of table of Craig's list in Ohio for my mom's house last trip that you just lay across as in folding yourself over this cushioned bar which puts traction on the lumbar region. Nice thing about this particular type is it folds in less than a minute and is resting underneath my bed at my mom's house awaitng my arrival.

I've been doing core workouts with inversion boots 4-5 days a week for the last 7 years. It's magic on my back. Highly recommend....

I just joined Vitalmx because of this topic. I hope this reply helps someone. The answer first "Inversion Swing"

I've had a herniated disc L5 for ten years. I was in denial the pain in my back was from my bulging disc for many years until one morning I could not get out of bed about six years ago. As many of you know, worst pain ever! long story, short. Prior to this i've had pain in this area after riding and following few days after riding. I walked hunched over and dragged my left leg around for a few weeks and even had trouble using restroom before giving in and going to doctor. After seeing Neurologist, he ordered MRI. Results bulging/Herniated disc L5. Doc says I must have surgery to relieve pressure and pain on spine. Friend of mine pleaded with me to see "his" Chiropractor. In a follow up appt. I told Doc that I wanted to have Chiropractic treatments before deciding on surgery. He chuckled and says "I'll see you after you give "that" a try.

I went to Chiropractor. He recommended decompression. I agreed. I had slight relief immediately. After at least 30 treatments my low back started unlocking. Eventually I was brought back to 80% of my old self. which is what he promised. I gained a 25lbs. from being non-active. I had many relapses and follow up treatments. probably 80-100 total. decompression worked for me. but very expensive. $7,800 for initial treatments. Plus follow up treatments and adjustments over the years Totaled over $15,000. It was worth every cent. I've never been back to the Neurologist. But the relapses are extremely annoying and last for 2-4 weeks.

My body craved the decompression treatments. I thought an inversion table would be a good substitute. even though the Chiropractor warned against it. During my high school days I used anti-gravity boots with great success. I purchased an Inversion table last year. It gave me pressure in my head that was to uncomfortable.

I had a bad relapse this last July. So bad that i decided I was making a permanent lifestyle change. I researched diet and body movement on web. I read of people who changed eating habits and with "Body Inversion" relieved back pain. I thought the diet part was far fetched as i believed back pain to be a physical issue. Not true. Diet is critical. The inversion part has also changed for me.

The Fix for me: I used my TRX to invert myself. (I have since found an "inversion swing" on net) I put each handle on each end of my pull up bar. this created a "U" shaped apparatus. I laid myself back into the "U" shape to hang upside down with my legs making a diamond shape above me. This position allows me to hang from my Hips. This made a huge difference in how I felt upside down. very little head rush. Biggest thing was it feels just like a decompression treatment. when I breath properly, my spine decompressed. i did this 3-4 times a day. after a few days my back pain was nearly gone. After about 10 days I had no pain at all. It's been several months and I still have no pain. "knock on wood". This is the first time in at least ten years that I have no pain in lower back. I still get stiff. But I believe stiffness is from all the new activities i"m able to do.

As far as diet. "Eat whatever "BAD10" eats! lol I've completely changed my diet. So sorry for long rely.

From my understanding, inversion tables aren't bad on your back per se, but they are bad on your knees being straightened out and having weight applied like that. My chiropractor said that he recommended them as long as they don't suspend you from your ankles which most do. There are a few that fasten to just above your knees and allow your legs to bend slightly so that you're weight is suspended more from muscle and less from the tendons and ligaments in your knee.

I use mine twice a day for two minutes. I have seen a drastic improvement.

Inversion tables are so so, and I think hanging from your ankles or legs is just bad since it puts a terrible amount of strain on your ankle and knee joints (and if you're on this forum, you probably already have issues with one or both of these).

A few years ago, I began using the stand made for doing dips and hanging crunches to simply hang from. You can remain upright (rather than inverted) and it still allows you to stretch your back without putting any strain on your ankles or knees.

I began by just hanging there for 10 to 20 seconds (which often got a few weird glances at the gym), but then I figured since I was up there I could start doing a few dips. Within a few months I could knock out 40-50 dips at a time, so it's become a win-win...less back soreness with better spinal alignment and stronger lats, triceps, and overall upper body...plus it's FREE!

had the inversion boots, very good, but now just use stretching

of note

yes be careful with you eyes, hold your hands on them and provide some pressure

yes be careful with ankle, knee and hip joints

yes try one with your lady standing in front of you at the right height......whooo hoooo

does it hurt your ankles when your hanging? im broke my right ankle 3 x"s and that's a concern, but I have some pretty bad disc herniations in my neck and I think this will help greatly

I would highly suggest you speak with your doctor before taking our advice on an inversion table. Especially with your history. But to answer your question, I've asked a couple of doctors, and they both indicated that the inversion tables that suspend you from your ankles are bad on your knees and ankles. He said that they make inversion tables that you wrap your knees over so that you're not suspended from you ankles and you're knees are supported properly. I haven't seen these tables personally but to anyone interested in an inversion table, I'd at least check this route.

Yeah this is true. It's called a muscular imbalance. Just hang 45 degrees or more and do sit ups. And remember, it's not about the quantity of the reps but the quality.

I would prefer this one.
http://www.losethebackpain.com/inversion3.html

I just bought a teeter off of Amazon. I am building it tomorrow. I flew off my CR 250 15 years ago, broke my neck and now walk with a limp. due to that, Bad back pain and I have tried every treatment imaginable. So I will let you know.

I have gravity boots. I used them for years -enough to hang like a bat for half an hour. But my bad back episodes would still come back and got more frequent and intense. I ended up spending a lot of time with a well respected trainer that works with FMS (functional movement systems). After going through the movement sceens, it identified recockulously tight hips. Non functional hips basically puts the work they're supposed to do on the back, which inevitably goes down in bad form.
The funny thing I noticed after a few months, was that almost every patient getting work done before or after my session was getting the same drill on loosening the hips while keeping a flat lower back.
Barring fractures and disks, I would bet the majority of bad backs can be traced to bad hips. Especially if you're older and have been riding mx for a while since it puts you in such a hip dominant position.
Anybody limping, walking sideways etc has a body out of balance. Period.
Grey Cook is the master of the FMS program and has a book/dvd called 'Athletic Body in Balance'.
I don't believe there is any approach to maintaining a healthy functional body more thorough than this. Try you-tubing Grey Cook and see what he has to say.
BTW I don't use band aid solutions on my back anymore and I'm going on 2 years problem free vs 4x/year.

I'll second what 722 said about spinal decompression therapy. I just completed (last week) a 12 week, 3 times per week routine. I started getting positive results about half way through. Like 722 said, I'm about 80%. I've had low back issues for over 20 years. In 2011 I got injections because the bulging L5 was causing sciatic nerve pain. I would recommend decompression before considering surgery. But it is expensive, but then again, so is surgery. Plus surgery doesn't always work, but decompression probably won't work for 100% of people either.


I do feel that I "may" have got the same positive results if I was as consistant with my inversion table. And core strength is probably the most important thing. I think the biggest mistake I made when I was younger was always using a lifing belt. I mean always. It supported my core too much so it didn't have to work very hard to keep me upright, the belt was doing all the work.

There are a lot of things to try before commiting to surgery.

What model, how much cabbage, and have you used it yet?

I see crappy tire has the Teeter NXT-S for $340 next week. My back has gone wonky off & on for a few years now. It's been semi-wonky for the past few weeks and that & reading this thread has me thinking about these things - but I know nothing about them.

i got my teeter ep 560 a week ago. i have the worst back ever from a sci and i'm 90% better pain wise after 7 days of use, even my knees and feet feel better. my brother gets a bound up lower back and he's been over twice....says it's a miracle.

[color=blue]Good to see you are still around, Tim! Like others, I have had a huge amount of success with my table. I have a "Soozier" that attaches at the ankles. I have broke both ankles multiple times & had my left knee replaced. Been using my table for 6-7 years & haven't noticed any issues with the knee or ankles. I usually wear high top sneakers or boots to help stabilize the ankles. I use it a few days a week for about 10 minutes. The key is to really relax & get a full stretch. Work your way up to a comfortable level of inversion. I don't ride much these days, but still play hockey 2-3x/week & feel great. GL with it!...//TJ[/color]

I used mine for about a year. It felt good to decompress, but not enough to keep it. Times 2 on gradual inversion and just a few minutes at a time. Garage sales are a great place to pick one up, too. It’ll save ya from spending a hundred bucks or so.

Think I’m too late...

Don't do like I did and take it all the way at once, about blacked out with all the blood rushing to my face. It SAT another 3 months before I read the directions lol