Inversion tables are used in back therapy to relieve back pain through spinal traction. As you lay on it, the table rotates to an upside down position in an effort to reverse the effects of gravity. Traction stretches the muscles and ligaments around the spine, relieving muscle spasm and pain. Athletes and sports therapists use inversion tables for stretching and building muscle. Inversion table techniques vary depending on your physical goals and level of fitness.
Stretching
Stretching techniques using the inversion table increase blood flow, help reduce the upright gravitational pull on the spine and help to increase flexibility. Beginners will want to start by getting comfortable with being inverted by using a 20 to 30 degree angle and working up to a full 90-degree inversion. Start slowly, and when you are comfortable with the inverted position, begin with simple stretches.
Place your feet into the foot straps and rotate the table to 90 degrees, or another comfortable decline angle. Make sure the inversion table is locked before beginning to stretch. Warm up with simple stretching motions and then extend your arms overhead to a full-body stretch. Hold for 10 seconds and release. Arch your back slowly, release and repeat. For side stretches, arc your body to one side and then the other.
Muscle Building Techniques
Muscle building techniques should be done using a spotter. Not only will this make you feel more comfortable, but it is also a precaution in case the table flips over. These techniques are for more advanced users.
Inverted abdominal exercises work the core, which strengthens the back muscles. Abdominal crunches using the inversion table work pretty much the same as horizontal crunches. Contract your stomach muscles, drawing your chest to your knees, hold and return.
Inverted squats are done by bending your knees and pulling your body toward your feet. Hold this position for 5 seconds, return to the starting position and repeat. The movement is the same as a vertical squat, but in reverse.
Back Therapy
Inversion table therapy is used to relive muscle spasms and pain, but only provides short-term relief, according to Celeste Robb-Nicholson, M.D., in an article published in the November 2009 issue of the "Harvard Women's Health Watch." The basic technique for back therapy with the inversion table is hanging upside down allowing gravity to use gentle traction on the spine. This technique is most helpful when used as part of a more comprehensive back treatment program for spinal disc compression or pain, notes the Mayo Clinic.
Precautions
Inversion table techniques cause a lowering of your heartbeat and increase blood pressure when you are in the inverted position for more than a couple of minutes. People with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, glaucoma or elevated pressure in the eyes should not use inversion table techniques, cautions the Mayo Clinic. Other conditions associated with inversion table therapy include headache, blurred vision and bleeding into the retina, according to Dr. Nicholson.
