Two of my clients swear by their inversion tables. I swear by the foam roller and a good massage, but they still take the inversion table to alleviate disc compression. I have never used one and I am wondering if anyone on here has and do they swear by them also?
Should I spend the $300 and forgo my Bowflex Adjustable Dumbbells for the table?
Here is my cheap version of an inversion table. I use my queen size bed. I'm 5'9" and if I lie sideways on the bed I can hook my feet over one side, my chin and arms over the other. Then all I need to do is pull with my feet to stretch my back.
It feels pretty good every now and then, but I would never spend $300 for that feeling.
Inversion tables are a waste of money. Point being, there's too much to screw up decompressing the spine because of all the parts in between the feet and the area they are "decompressing" due to hip tilt (lateral, not ant./post.), leg length differences, blah, blah, blah. The best thing on the market are Back Revolutions. The set-up is more effective, easy to use, SUPER effective by eliminating any movement/variance in the legs and hips and takes up less space. Obviously, clients with glaucoma should avoid any inversion. The website has a ton of helpful information and if you want to know more about my experience using a backrevolution or exercises to do with one- ask away.
I happen to have an inversion table that I got from a Relax the Back store when I was seeking relief from a chronic lower back issue, as well as a Back Revolution. The back revolution is quick and simple to get in & out of so it has a permanent place on my back porch. I enjoy riding / racing motocross and if I suffer any mishaps I can easlily get into it and get inverted with all my gear on and hang & twist and it definitely seems to be beneficial. It is also easier to perform strengthening exercizes on than the inversion table.
As to the inversion table, my experience parallels the statements made by Ryan Smith. When you invert, your body senses the need to protect you and muscle contraction is the method, he called this reflex "distraction forces". It takes a while to learn to overcome this phenomenon and get the muscles to relax.
What works best for me is to invert, then come back to a position horizontal to the ground and repeat 50 or so times. This movement occurs with the slightest move of your arms. Once you get a rhythm going with the arm movement and your breathing (full exhale at full inversion), the distraction forces are held at bay and it certainly feels therapeutic. This method sounds similiar to his explanation of the decompression machine he uses wherein the cycling creates the pumping mechanism that promotes healing.
As to the inversion table, my experience parallels the statements made by Ryan Smith. When you invert, your body senses the need to protect you and muscle contraction is the method, he called this reflex "distraction forces". It takes a while to learn to overcome this phenomenon and get the muscles to relax.
What works best for me is to invert, then come back to a position horizontal to the ground and repeat 50 or so times. This movement occurs with the slightest move of your arms. Once you get a rhythm going with the arm movement and your breathing (full exhale at full inversion), the distraction forces are held at bay and it certainly feels therapeutic. This method sounds similiar to his explanation of the decompression machine he uses wherein the cycling creates the pumping mechanism that promotes healing.
Interesting, thanks..
I can definitely see those "distraction forces contraction" would aggrevate my back more than help it..
But yeah, if one could learn to lessen it, or bypass it completely..
My chiropractor suggested instead of an inversion table that I could chain about 10-15 lbs of weight to a weight belt and then hang from a chin-up bar (not inverted!). I do this every now and then and it seems to leave me feeling better.
He said he didn't like inversion tables because -- and I may be remembering this wrong -- he's heard of people suffering strokes or aneurysms after using them.
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Well, I'm in the minority here. I swear by my inversion table, but I've never tried the revolution thing. I've broken quite a few bones over the last couple of decades... I'm a bit too much of a warrior princess. The inversion table keeps the neck pain away a lot better than twice weekly visits to the chiropractor. I don't have it set for vertical, more like 60 degrees. A few minutes a day has worked wonders for me.
The only thing that's ever worked better was neuromuscular re-education done in a neurosurgeon's office. I had to go every evening for a month, but I had no pain for about a year. It's basically about 30 minutes of traction while you're laying horizontal. I figured the inversion table should have a similar effect without all the hassle and expense.
Inversion Tables - Worth it?
I was thinking about using my chin station to do that.
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