HEALTH: Are Inversion Tables Good For the Back?

There is not much I expect my readers to know about me, but the one thing they should know is that I have a bad lower back. Back in December of 2006, I helped my friend push his car out of a pile of snow. From the strenuous activity of pushing my L4-L5 disc slipped and has ever since been causing spinal stenosis. The intermittent pain has been with me up until now. I have had no relief and I have been to hundreds of medical professionals. For instance, I have been to three physical therapists, one kinesthesiologist, one osteopath, two spinal surgeons, three orthopedics, four chiropractors, and two neurologists. I have probably seen more doctors and hospitals than a hypochondriac. Anyway the reason I am posting is to review a product that has provided me with a breakthrough and relief for my back pain.

The product is called the Ironman Gravity 4000 Inversion table. The Ironman 4000 is a fine addition to its other brothers and sisters. However, instead of a roller to hold your feet, the 4000 edition provides you with a mechanism that locks your ankles securely and safely. Also, it provides you with a lumbar cushion that provides some lumbar support and forces your spine to assume its natural position.

Here are some tips when using any inversion table:

1. Do not invert yourself without shoes or with socks only. Inversion without shoes will provide pain, and inversion with socks only will provide pain as well and may also make you slip out of the rubber holdings.
   
2. When beginning to invert, take your time. Do not rapidly go in the inverted position. Let the blood flow to your upper body slowly.
   
3. When using the machine, make sure you have something soft placed under it (where your head will be) just in case you fall off.
4. When in the inverted position, take the time to do some ab exercises and/or back bends.
5. Do not stay on longer than 10-15 minutes a session. Try to do about two sessions a day. Do not stay on for more than 30 minutes a day.
6. While you are returning to an upright position, take it slow. Let the blood flow back to your lower body and to your nerves.

Now that I have provided you guys with some tips, I would like to mention the effects the machine has had on me. If you are someone who sits on a chair for more than 2 hours, than this machine is for you. After you feel that annoying ache or nerve pain, you can just jump on this machine and it will alleviate it for you. If you have a weak core and want to get into shape, then this machine is for you. Doing ab exercises on the inversion table is much easier than doing them on the floor, since the table relieves the pressure from your spine. The table also feeds your discs with the certain nutrients it needs to slip back into its normal position. The table elongates your spine allowing your discs to flap into a position that allows the blood to flow right through them.


I have been using the machine for two weeks now, and I have had some relief from my three year run of agonizing and debilitating pain. I just want you consumers to know that this machine does not guarantee that it will heal your back and by far it has not done that to mine. If you have chronic back pain, you will soon realize why they call it "chronic."

If anyone has any questions or wants to talk about their back problems, please feel free to comment below. And, for anyone interested in knowing the positives of using an inversion table, the link to the site is here