What are the Benefits of Inversion Therapy: Can it Help with Back-Pain?
Inversion therapy is a technique used for treating spinal problems due to spinal compression. Therapy is derived from the meaning of the word inversion that means to invert or to turn upside down or to make the opposite. This technique used gravity in the opposite direction that is it basically offsets the effects of gravity.
Gravity has been compressing your spine for years causing spinal compression leading to a number of issues: each one being extremely painful. Inversion therapy uses gravity in the opposite direction to offset the negative effects of gravity and relieve you of the effects.
Inversion therapy might not be suitable for everyone but for those, it is suitable for can benefit from this magical procedure with almost no side effects.
How Does Inversion Therapy Work?
Gravity fixes you on the ground and pulls you down compressing the spine and all your joints so in order to offset its effects we somehow need to do the opposite that uses gravity to stretch your body rather than compress, and this is how inversion therapy works.
Remember hanging on a bar in gym yes, the principle is similar, inversion therapy will make you hang upside down for antigravity effects. However, since the beginning, you are not exposed to such extreme to make u hang upside down as it is not suitable for everyone. The most popular and simplest method is the use of inversion tables.
As a hundred percent inversion is not always necessary to yield the benefits of inversion therapy, the inversion tables take you through an inversion at an angle maintaining a certain comfort level as well as helping you benefit from inversion.
The use of inversion tables at home is extremely easy with a variation of inclination depending on how much you want to stretch your spine. Increasing the inclination will result in more stretch and the ultimate stretch is wearing antigravity boots and hanging upside down.
When your legs are fixed at a top position and your body is under the effects of gravity, now the gravity works to offset the very effects it caused.
Benefits of Inversion Tables
The general concept of using inversion tables is for the betterment of spinal compression. However, there are many other benefits that are linked to these therapeutic tables too. Those include a reduction in the intensity of pain of different yet bearable levels. One thing that must be kept in mind is the sustainability of pain. Well, even if you use inversion tables, pain relapses and you get in the position where you are bound to use inversion tables again.
After knowing the basics of the inversion table and their use, here is a list of benefits one can get from the appropriate use of inversion tables:
1. The functionality of the body:
Fitness and health are something that needs constant care. Otherwise, you fall into a dependency of taking pills to maintain health. Inversion tables or chairs become the source of keeping cardiovascular workout easy. It is because of the circulation of blood that keeps the heart and muscles healthy.
2. Posture:
Pain in the shoulder and back is mostly because of bad posture. It means that you have to have the correct posture otherwise you may have temporary or permanent backache. Good posture can be attained by standing straight with a balanced alignment of the body. In this regard, inversion tables help to achieve the set target. It also realigns the spine so that you can enjoy most of the activities while standing straight.
3. Extreme training of muscles:
First of all, it is important to know that the core muscles are about obliques (internal and external), abdominals, and muscles on the lower back area of the body. These muscles help in supporting and maintaining the correct posture, torso, and supply of energy in the body. When these muscles get weak due to any reason then the need for inversion tables or chairs comes into play. Why? Well, it is for alignment of the spine and support that has to be given to the spine for the right posture. After using the inversion tables or chairs, you will feel better within a few days. That will be due to the fact that there will be lesser chances of injuring your vulnerable muscles. You also need to remember that crunches, sit-ups, and back extensions can bring significant change in the condition.
4. Reduction of pain:
This is one of the most prominent and easy reasons to determine that inversion tables do their job properly. It means that when you have unbearable pain in the back or stomach then inversion tables bring traction to relieve stress on the discs of the spine. In addition to it, they also elongate the spine which stops the pain from the roots of the nerves, ligaments, and spinal discs. At times when there is excruciating pain because of muscle spasms, the inversion table comes in handy to reduce pain temporarily.
5. Recovering energy:
Spinal compression is caused by rigorous and intensive workouts. There are activities that take a toll on the spinal regiments that causes stress on the back which becomes the reason for pain in the end. Inversion therapies in that case help in releasing stress and reducing pain in different parts of the body. Stretching during inversion therapy leaves you in a better and relaxed shape. Therefore, it is about inversion tables that cure pain and recharge you from an exhausted body. In short, it boosts your energy which is lost during any activity like swimming, hiking, biking, and etc.
6. Strengthening of ligaments:
What are ligaments? These are the strips inside the bones that keep both collectives. Mainly, ligaments are not just elastic but also flexible. If they are not taken care of or are stretched too much, they break or tear up easily. Internal injuries and excruciating pain is a given fact once they are not together. Inversion therapies, in that case, help much because the revert the issue concerned with ligaments. Another scenario is when ligaments are not stretched much or are not moved as per need, they start aching. In both conditions, inversion therapies are of great help.
7. Improvement in brain injuries:
Problems caused by the injuries in the brain are removed silently through inversion therapies. However, it is always better to take permission from the doctor before starting the therapy. If you are thinking as to how pain is removed, then let us tell that it is because of blood circulation and the transfer of oxygen in the brain. In short, it doesn’t only reduce pain but also relieves one from pressure and the increasing functionality of the brain.
8. The increase in oxygen:
Inversion therapy aids in transferring oxygen to the brain. So, the decrease of oxygen in the brain actually causes a lot of issues. Those include the hardening of arteries, cognitive issues, high blood pressure, and brain deterioration. Once inversion therapy starts, mostly change in these issues is noticed within a few days. Let us remind you again, it is recommended to consult a doctor before starting this therapy.
9. Circulation:
The cardiovascular system is made up of several things. Those include arteries, capillaries, heart, and veins. Through these parts of the inner body, oxygen is supplied to the cells of the entire body. Gravity is eased by inversion therapies which are caused by the reverse system of transferring oxygen. That is how inversion therapy assists in providing enough circulation of blood as well as oxygen.
10. Internal organs and decongestion:
Decongestion of internal or inner organs are part of a human body. Mostly they are the reason for weight gain from the areas lie abdominal side and stomach. These organs and parts prolapse with age. If you do inversion therapy then the chances of decongestion increase. In other words, organs are put back on their place and you seem to look as before.
Other benefits of an inversion table are:
- It relieves good hormones that reduce depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental illnesses.
- The balance of body for those who are into sports. Inversion therapies excite them because the inner self gets more balanced.
- One age gracefully because of proper inversion therapy.
- Overworked muscles (for people like labors) become relaxed with reduced pain in the body.
Pro tip:
For the sake of betterment and healthy body, mind, and soul; one should read about the inversion table reviews before the buy.
Does an Inversion Table Help Low Back Pain?
Inversion tables are meant for reducing back pain. Since we have already explained and discussed how inversion tables or chairs function, you can easily recollect the idea by going back to the section “How inversion therapy works?”
In addition to what we already know about the pains and how they are catered by the therapists, it is important to focus on back pain separately. It is because inversion tables are meant to reduce lower back pains as well as pain in the back altogether. Therefore, you need to actually be sure about which type of inversion tables are used in order to reduce the pain. If you use something that is not advised, recommended, or has good reviews online, then it is better to opt for something else. According to the FDA (Food and Druga Administration) in America, there is only one type of inversion table that is considered best among the rest – Teeter Inversion Tables. These Teeter Inversion Tables are sold and marketed as the medical device that could help in reducing pain.
Pain in the neck and lower back are further connected with the following types. The mainstream therapy these days is fixated to inversion therapies.
The reason being it is all about the removal of tension in the muscles, pain in the lower back, degeneration of spinal diseases, spinal curvature, facet syndrome, spinal stenosis, sciatica, and spasms on muscle.
Therefore, the question:
Why people opt for the inversion tables without consulting doctors? Also, what happens when they don’t get the best inversion table to work on?
The answer to it is simple. It is mainly because of the fact that most of the problems related to back pain are cured by the inversion tables or chairs. Restoration of spaces between vertebrae as well as help in treating issues caused after spinal surgery is taken care of by the inversion therapies or best inversion table.
Next question that might trigger your mind could be:
Is there any analogy that fits in the procedure of inversion therapy?
The answer again is not that complicated. It is all because of certainty and positivity that are aligned with inversion therapies. Well, the best analogy to fit in the situation of executing the mechanism of therapies is of squeezing toothpaste from the tube. In short, inversion therapies that work on spinal discs are similar to dispensing toothpaste. Squeezing too much will take out more than required paste, whereas, the lesser force to take out paste will be annoying too. Therefore, the rightness and appropriateness of force determine the exact amount of paste you require.
Furthermore, it is hard to determine if the effect of therapies will last for a few days or many days. It is a given fact that the effect will be noticed after using the inversion table but how long will the effect last is indeed a million-dollar question.
Last question that could pop in mind is:
What is the need of knowing and going through inversion table reviews?
Honestly, it is one of the easiest ways to find out about the utility, worth, features, and rating of an inversion table. Even if it is the gym or health care unit where you use the inversion table, the information should be gathered in order to be sure about the model and all that is mentioned earlier.
Use of Inversion Tables:
According to the therapists and doctors, individuals who are new to inversion therapies must use it for a minimum of fifteen days or two weeks. It shouldn’t be used for more than ten to twelve minutes though. For the best results, it is recommended to use it twice in twenty-four hours. Also, it is important to remember that being on the position that is 45 degrees below (horizontally) will start to deteriorate spinal discs and can become the source of other issues. Inversion tables at recline and between twenty and thirty degrees will do the justice to make you feel better.
Note:
Please note that it is not okay to be totally upside-down. Too much use of the inversion table will also be a challenging job with zero productivity and effect on the body. Hence, it is not much suggested.
Who Should Never Use Inversion Tables?
One thing that every individual should know is: inversion therapies are not suitable for each and every one. Below is a list of those people who are not allowed to use inversion therapies:
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Fracture
- Conditions associated with knee or hip
- Cardiovascular or heart complexities
- Retinal impartiality
- Osteoporosis
- Individuals with lumbar instability
- Problems related to inner ears
- Hernia (inguinal or abdominal)
- Glaucoma
Note:
Pregnant females must stay out of inversion therapies too.
Last Verdict:
Neck and back pains are easily tapered and cured by inversion therapies. However, results are strictly based on which type of inversion table you use. Therefore, we can be sure to state that the best inversion table comes with more features, less drama, and absolutely more than expected (good) reviews. Last but not least, always consult a physician before starting inversion therapies.
Last Updated: 27th Apr, 2020
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