Inversion tables are equipment you can use to help treat lower back pain. They enable you to invert at a variety of angles, including all the way over with their head at the bottom. Inversion---whether down with an inversion table, sling, or gravity boots and a bar---is used by celebrities for inspiration and relaxation, but inversion therapy is primarily a tool to counteract the effects of gravity on the spine and blood flow.
Julie Deardorff of the "Chicago Tribune" wrote in an article that, "Inversions can reverse the blood flow in the body, temporarily counteracting the negative effects of gravity, improving circulation and lymph flow and bringing blood and oxygen to the brain." This may have a positive effect on the immune system and lower back pain. Use of inversion tables decompresses the spine and creates more space between the vertebrae. A study published in "Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy" found "inversion can be an effective means of spinal traction."
Step 1
Sit on the inversion table and lock your feet into the foot pads or boots. Lay back so that your head is resting on the table. Allow the table to become horizontal by lifting your arms.
Step 2
Lift your arms over your head so the table will continue going backwards until you are completely upside down. Grab the bars that hold the table up, which should now be by your head, and pull the table all the way straight until it locks into place if, it has not done so already.
Step 3
Hang on the table completely inverted for 10 minutes. Take deep breaths and keep your back and head against the table.
Step 4
Lower your arms so that they are on the table next to you. This will cause the table to lift back up into its starting position. Use the bars to pull yourself up to get the table moving if it does not do so as soon as you move your arms back to your sides. Do not arch your back off the table and try to swing forward.
Step 5
Sit up slowly so you do not get dizzy. Remove your feet completely from the table's pads or boots before standing up.
Tips and Warnings
- You may need to try partial inversion for a few weeks before you are comfortable to move to full inversion. Try inverting to only 20 to 30 degrees first. When you are ready, go to 60 degrees. Then move on to full 90-degree inversion. Go slowly and allow yourself to relax completely before moving on to the next stage.
- Inversion tables should be used if you're healthy and do not have a history of high blood pressure, heart or circulatory disorders, or glaucoma. Stopping using an inversion table can lead to your problems returning.
