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Inversion Therapy7 Reasons Everyone with Back Pain Should Consider Inversion Therapy By Steven Hefferon, CMT, PTA, CPRS Let me start out by saying that I have had back pain and I have had sciatica. So I know the feeling. I know how frustrating it can be, and I know how it can suck the joy right out of your life. Be careful not to do dumb thingsShortly after I graduated from high school, I owned a landscaping company. I worked hard because I wanted the good stuff out of life. I really pushed myself, sometimes taking on jobs I did not even know how to do. Once, for example, I was approached by an English client who wanted a stone wall built the way they do it in England, which is without cement (they're called drywalls). I said, "No problem." But because the wall was going to have to hold back dirt, I asked if I could put in a cement footer. The client agreed. Well, on Day One I dug out the footer then went to the store and bought the cement. When I returned, I decided to put two 80-pound bags of cement on my shoulders to save time and trips up and down to the back yard. I put the first bag on my shoulder, but when I bent down and twisted a little to pick up the second bag, I heard a pop. In an instant, I was flat on my back in pain. I spent the next weeks either in bed or lying on my back in front of the TV. About the middle of the second week, it hit me that in the early '80s a newfangled device came out called "moon boots"—also known as "gravity boots." My best friend had just gotten a pair for Christmas, so I borrowed them and had my dad install a bar in the basement that I could hang from (or invert myself). I began doing this for 5-10 minutes a day. Soon, my back was feeling a lot better. I continued to use the boots on a regular basis, not only as part of my recovery but also as a way to experiment with different exercises and movements that might bring about a higher level of fitness. What condition are you suffering from?It is amazing how my life experiences have brought me to where I'm now writing about how I healed myself some 20-plus years ago. Back then, I did not know what I was doing when I stumbled upon something that just happened to work. Today, inversion therapy can no longer be called an alternative treatment because it has been the subject of a great deal of clinical study. Inversion therapy has been proven to help relieve many forms of back and neck pain including the following: - Bulging Disc - Herniated Disc - Chronic Back Pain - Lower Back Pain - Neck Pain - Pulled Back Muscles - SI Joint Dysfunction - Facet Joint Dysfunction - Spondylolisthesis - Sciatica 7 key benefits of inversion for the back pain suffererWhile relieving your back pain is your primary reason for considering inversion therapy, there are a number of additional benefits many people experience with a regular program of inversion. Here are 7 good reasons to use inversion therapy:
5 ultra-challenging activities you can do on an inversion tableIf the 7 hidden benefits were not enough to make you want to consider using inversion, here are 5 exercises you can do at every session:
How to get startedLet's take a look at what a back pain sufferer will go through in a typical session. First, you do not need to go into full inversion to get the benefits. (Note: It will take time before you will be able to tolerate full inversion.) Here is a simple guide for beginners:
There are two basic ways to invert:
Full Inversion after 2 weeks: This is when your body is completely upside down and hanging freely. Full inversion is the position you need to be in to do the 5 "ultra" exercises listed above. The amount of time you spend is up to you, but 5 to 15 minutes twice a day is recommended. The amount of time it takes for you to tolerate full inversion will depend on your ability to accommodate to the position; everyone is different so go slow.
One last safety tipWhile inversion has been proven to be beneficial, it is best to start slow—that is, at a low angle for short amounts of time. Going straight into full inversion will make you sore. So please resist the temptation to go into full inversion day one.
One last success tipBe patient and consistent with its use, the inversion table is a device that can be used for a lifetime to support optimal health. So make a habit of using it on a consistent basis, the research supports the use and your body will reap the benefits.
References1. Sheffield, F.: Adaptation of Tilt Table for Lumbar Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 45: 469-472, 1964. 2. Nosse, L.: Inverted Spinal Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 59: 367-370, Aug 78. 3. Gianakopoulos, G, et al: Inversion Devices: Their Role in Producing Lumbar Distraction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 66: 100-102, Feb 85. 4. Ballantyne, Byron, et al: The Effects of Inversion Traction on Spinal Column Configuration, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, and Perceived Discomfort. Jour of Orthopedic Sports Phys Ther. 254-260, Mar 86. 5. Kane, M, et al: Effects of Gravity-facilitated Traction on Intravertebral Dimensions of the Lumbar Spine. Jour of Orthopedic and Sports Phys Ther. 281-288, Mar 85. 6. Goldman, R, et al: The Effects of Oscillating Inversion on Systemic Blood Pressure, Pulse, Intraocular Pressure, and Central Retinal Arterial Pressure. The Physician and Sports Medicine. 13: 93-96, Mar 85. 7. Dimberg, L, et al: Effects of gravity-facilitated traction of the lumbar spine in persons with chronic low back pain at the workplace. 8. Nachemson, Alf, et al: Intravital Dynamic Pressure Measurements in Lumbar Discs. 1970. |
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Where an article is not bylined with a specific author's name, it was written by Mark Lamendola (see photos on home page and elsewhere on this site). Mark is a 4th degree blackbelt, has not been sick since 1971, and has not missed a workout since 1977. Just an example of how Mark knows what he's talking about: In his early 50s, Mark demonstrated a biceps curl using half his body weight. That's a Jack LaLanne level stunt. Few people can even come close. If you want to know how to build a strong, beautiful body, read the articles here. |
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