Hanging upside down in order to relieve back and neck ailments is commonly referred to as inversion therapy. Several studies determined a correlation between being upside down and back pain relief. However, no studies have been conducted on the long-term effects of inversion therapy. Before beginning inversion therapy techniques, always consult with your physician. Inversion therapy has many health risk including heart problems, respiratory failure and blood clots in the brain.
Inversion Tables
Prior to beginning inversion exercises, it is important to understand the piece of equipment known as an inversion table. An inversion table looks much like a weightlifting bench. However, the bench is angled so you are essentially in a upside down position. You position your head at the bottom of the board. Your knees should be slightly bent and your feet will be positioned on a foot rest at the top of the board. This will cause you to be in a fully inverted position and ready to exercise.
Inversion Squats
Position yourself in a fully inverted position on the inversion table. Tighten your buttocks and your hamstring muscles in order to pull yourself in the direction of your head. This exercise essentially involves bending your knees so they are positioned in a 90-degree angle. Once you are in a squatting position, you will feel a stretch in the back of your leg muscles. Hold this position for a count of five seconds. Relax and repeat 10 times. Before trying an inverted squat, you might need to strengthen your buttocks and hamstrings because this exercise can be quite challenging with weak muscles.
Inverted Crunches
Inverted crunches can help to alleviate back pain and strengthen your abdominal muscles at the same time. Position yourself on the inversion table. Place your hands across your chest as if you were going to complete a sit-up. Tighten your abdominal muscles and lift your upper body -- your head, neck, shoulder and torso -- approximately one-third of the way off of the inversion table. Lower yourself back down to the starting position and repeat. Complete one set of 10 repetitions of inverted crunches.
Inverted Sit-Ups
Inverted sit-ups are a progression from the inverted crunch. To perform an inverted sit-up, position yourself on your inversion table and position your arms so that they are fully extended in front of you. Use your abdominal muscles in order to pull yourself off of the inversion table. If possible, raise your entire back off of the inversion table and try to touch your feet with your hands. Inverted sit-ups are a challenging exercise. Only complete as many as you feel comfortable with. According to Losethebackpain.com, some experts suggest that one inverted sit-up is equivalent to completing 10 traditional sit-ups.
