Are you thinking about trying inversion therapy? Or maybe you have never heard of inversion therapy? Then please keep reading because you need to know the upsides and the downsides of turning your body upside down. Methods of inverting the body have been around for decades as a way to counteract the effects of gravity. Inversion therapy is not hocus-pocus. Placing the feet higher than the head can have many beneficial effects especially for those with spine pain. In 1978, some researchers reported that the use of an inversion table both lengthens the spine and reduces muscle activities. If that is true, then this anti-gravitational effect can help relieve painful muscle spasms and reduce painful compressive forces on the spine. Many physical therapists and doctors recommend inversion therapy because of its ability to provide a traction force that decompresses the spinal discs. With regular use, symptoms from spinal conditions like disc herniations, spinal stenosis, and degeneration can improve.
Best of all, inverting can be done at home with either an inversion table or inversion chair. Now, you have to decide which device one is right for you. Inversion tables are the most common devices used to hang upside down; even though, they are not the best devices for most people. Hanging completely upside down from the ankles strapped into anti-gravity boots is very aggressive. Some people like to be aggressive. Others find that 100% inversion is not really necessary for achieving the benefits of an inverted position. Besides, many people find 100% inversion too intense and too painful on the ankles and knees. Furthermore, inversion tables usually require a second person to spot and assist the individual hang from his/her feet. Unfortunately, the downsides of inversion tables are usually not discovered until after a purchase. If more people knew about an alternative inversion device to the table, more people would purchase the alternative-the inversion chair. Inversion chairs allow you to place the head below the feet while in a seated position.
Being seated has many upsides. This position is more comfortable with less pressure on the leg joints. Being seated allows for safer transitions, better balance recovery and blood pressure equalizing. Inversion chairs can be safely used alone. And although the chair does not go back all the way, this less intense inverted position of up to 70% still provides the same anti-gravitational effect on the body as 100% inversion. The main reason why I recommend the inversion chair over the inversion table is this: Being in a seated position provides better posture support and control for the lumbar spine and pelvis, otherwise inversion can place too much arching, extension forces on the sensitive posterior column of the spine. For this reason, I personally use an inversion chair (Health Mark brand) for my sensitive low back pain. And I love it. But before you rush out to buy an inversion table or chair, please note that those with heart or circulatory conditions should check with their doctors before hanging upside down.
Being upside down places a great deal of stress on the circulatory system. Because of the potential downsides of too much stress and pressure on the circulatory and skeletal system, being inverted is not for everybody. But the potential upsides of counteracting the effects of gravity are: less spinal disc pain, less joint pain, and less painful muscle spasms. If you do decide to try inversion therapy, as a rule, start slowly at a small degree of inversion (no more than 15 degrees) for no more than 5 minutes at a time. Easing into seeing the world upside down will help you to avoid the downsides and just experience the upsides of inversion therapy.Many people are drawn to the idea of hanging upside down to relieve back pain or improve posture, which it can. Always, however, ease into hanging upside down. Use an inversion table, which allows you to control the degree to which you invert. You can lie horizontally, at zero degrees, or go all the way upside down at 90 degrees. If you feel any uncomfortable side effects, such as headaches, invert yourself at a lower angle or discontinue use of the inversion table.
The first time you use the table, invert yourself between 20 and 30 degrees to get accustomed to these angles for a few weeks. You should feel completely at ease before proceeding to a greater angle of inversion. A total body stretch, increased blood circulation and more oxygen getting to the head are positive effects from hanging at even this mild angle. After you become used to being inverted at about 30 degrees, you can proceed to 60 degrees. Hanging upside down is healthy for your spine, as it allows gravity to gently pull and create traction. Traction is a process chiropractors perform to decompress their clients' spines and create space between the vertebrae. When a person lies on the inversion table and is two-thirds of the way upside down, gravity can naturally allow the spine to decompress, provided you relax your body. Inverted traction has been shown to be an "effective means of achieving pelvic traction at home," according to a study published in "Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation."
As you're inverted, your vertebrae in the lumbar or lower region are pulled away from each other. Hanging completely upside down will give you all the stretching and spinal benefits as inverting. Anyone with significant muscle or tension, such as those who exercise frequently, might need to hang completely upside down so gravity can work harder to stretch the stronger muscles and soft tissue. Alternate between full or partial inversion and returning to an upright position in 30-second increments. This back-and-forth method will increase your circulation more than remaining in a single position. Another approach is to hang upside down at 90 degrees by using gravity boots hooked into a metal bar stuck in a door frame. This will not allow you to control your angle; you can only do hanging straight upside down, but you will still get the benefits of a stretched and decompressed spine this way. Inversion has been shown to reduce instances of lower back pain. According to an article in the "Los Angeles Times," inversion can be risky for people with certain conditions because the blood flow to the head increases and the body is put in an "unnatural inverted state."
Anyone with high blood pressure, glaucoma, weak bones or with heart or circulatory disorders are discouraged from being inverted. Women who are pregnant or who are obese should also consult a doctor before attempting inversion. Gain 2 pounds per week Gain 1.5 pounds per week Gain 1 pound per week Gain 0.5 pound per week Maintain my current weight Lose 0.5 pound per week Lose 1 pound per week Lose 1.5 pounds per week Lose 2 pounds per week Exercise Equipment That Hangs You Upside Down Negative Effects of Inversion Therapy Comparison of the Teeter Hang Ups F5000, F7000 and F9000 Inversion Tables Problems With Inversion Boots Hanging Upside Down Exercises Does the Hang-Up Stretch Legs and Hips? How to Properly Use an Inversion Table What Are the Benefits of Inversion Boots? How to Grow Taller Using an Inversion Table Teeter Hang Ups Inversion Tables for Back Pain Relief What Are the Benefits of Using Inversion Exercises?