subject: Inversion Table Therapy Banish Your Back Pain! [print this page]
Inversion therapy was first started over 2000 years ago but has only recently come to the fore again. Now it is used all over the world to treat back pain and sports injuries. The theory behind it is that as you are inverted your weight becomes suspended from your lower body rather than supported by it. This helps to decompress the joints below the point where you are anchored. Used sensibly inversion can work wonders!
There have been some criticisms over the years but the results speak for themselves, millions of people have used Inversion therapy to help treat back, neck and joint pain.
As well as pain relief, Inversion therapy can also help to promote muscle and ligament strength, and it also increases blood flow, some users swear by it for increasing mental alertness as the blood flow to your brain is increased.
Inversion therapy is also widely touted as good for increasing flexibility. Stretches that cannot be performed when standing or sitting are possible while inverted and due to the added tension of being upside down muscles across the joints are already pre-stretched giving added benefits
How long you should invert for depends on what you are trying to achieve and your own circumstances. You should start off only for short periods, a few minutes per day and build up if you think it necessary.
What angle is also subject to many conditions, at slightl angles the effect is small and it is a good way to start, by the time you are at 45 degrees you will be achieving stronger traction than you would get in hospital and this is where you start to feel the real benefits. Few people invert beyond 60 degrees.
Almost all cases of discomfort or pulled muscles occur from going to far too soon, and for too long. Build up slowly and dont over do it. The preferred method is to alternate between inverted and upright for 30-40 seconds at a time. This promotes circulation and you still get all the benefits.
Remember to consult with a medical professional before starting any form of treatment, and be sure to have someone on hand to help you the first time you try it in case you have difficulty releasing yourself when unfamiliar with the table.
