How To Properly Use An Inversion Table

These days, personal fitness is experiencing a surge in popularity.

While more and more people are starting to work out and are looking for ways to get into better shape, there are just as many looking for ways to lessen physical tension.

The most prevalent type of discomfort and pain is back pain. More than half of the country’s population suffers from it in one way or another.

The good news is: there just might be a solution to your woes.

The inversion table.

It might look like a medieval torture device at first glance, but it is actually a great way to get some relief from your back pain. Let’s take a closer look and see what inversion is, the benefits, and how to use an inversion table correctly.

 

What Is Inversion?

Inversion therapy is a type of physical therapy that involves suspending your body at an angle, or completely upside down, in an effort to allow the discs in the back to decompress. This is usually done with a table that you would securely lay on and use to invert yourself partially or fully.

Throughout the day, you are constantly putting some kind of weight on you back. Whether you are lifting heavy items, constantly on your feet or simply bending over too much, it all eventually adds up. Unfortunately, when it does, it usually results in severe back pain.

The goal of inversion is to remove all the weight that’s compressing those discs and tight muscles and finally let them take a break. Inversion therapy has been shown to decrease disc-related back and neck pain and improve general health in many areas.

Before we jump in and look at how to properly use an inversion table, let’s take a look at some of the great benefits of inversion and how it may help you.

 

The Benefits Of Using An Inversion Table

There are multiple great benefits of inversion table therapy. Let’s take a look at the primary ones.

 

Improves Spinal Health

Back pain is most often caused by discs in the spine that get compressed over time, causing tension on the muscles. Inversion helps relieve this pain by allowing those compressed discs to decompress and relax.

 

Enhances Circulation

Whether you realize it or not, your body is constantly carrying blood throughout your body and many times, against gravity. By inverting, you help ease the amount of work your body needs to do to get your blood flowing to all the places it needs to.

 

Improves Joint Health

Decompression helps lubricate your joints as well as strengthen your ligaments by getting them to work.

 

Increases Flexibility

Inversion tables are great for stretching out those tight muscles which causes all the “stiffness” that you feel. When you invert your body, your muscles become elongated and their range of flexibility is increased.

 

Improves Posture

Once you’ve been using an inversion table for a while you may begin to notice that your posture has gotten better. This is because as your discs decompress, they also realign and fall back into their natural position.

 

How To Properly Use An Inversion Table

If you don’t have an inversion table yet, our article on the best inversion tables will help you find the right one for you.

Inversion therapy can help relieve your back pain. But to avoid the risk of injury, it is important to learn how to properly use an inversion table.

• Before you can get started, you need to get your inversion table set up and adjusted to your height. Every inversion table is different and for this step you will need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions that come with your table.
• Check all of the safety straps and ankle supports to make sure that they are secure. Get on your table and lock the ankle supports. One final inspection before inverting won’t hurt!
• Gently begin to lean back onto your table with your hands over your chest and allow the table to level itself.
• When you are comfortable doing so, you can begin to invert yourself further if you’d like.
• Once you are at an angle that you are comfortable in, stretch your arms out above your head and allow yourself to lay like that for a few moments. As you get more accustomed to inversion, you will be able to hang for longer periods of time.
• When you are ready to dismount, simply place your arms over your chest allow yourself to slowly rock back up. Alternatively, you can have your spotter help you with this step.
• If you are not sure how often to do inversion therapy, read this
• Do not use an inversion table for knee pain; it will just make it worse.
• Do not use an inversion table after getting a hip replacement, until you have fully recovered and your doctor clears you to use one.

 

How To Use An Inversion Table: Final Thoughts

Inversion therapy is beneficial for many people and can be used as a remedy for back pain and to increase mobility, plus it provides several other health benefits. Remember though, that to achieve the best results from your inversion therapy sessions you also should be maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

So long as you know how to properly use an inversion table, you have the best tool at your disposal for relieving back pain and providing some amazing health benefits.

Start slowly, be safe, and bid back pain goodbye with your inversion table!