Will an inversion table help me?

Lower back pain is nothing short of debilitating. And between pain relievers, massage, chiropractic, pain injections, basic exercises, and surgical options, there’s no shortage of ways to manage it.

One controversial approach to managing back pain and improving overall spinal health is with an inversion table.

The questions are ‘Is an inversion table effective?’ and ‘does it fit my spine well?’

First… A Very Short Anatomy Lesson

Your spine is made up of vertebrae that are stacked on top of each other from about the level of your belly button to your head.

While your spine is designed to protect your spinal cord and hold you upright in the same way that a pole might hold a tent upright, its design also allows you to bend, twist, rotate, and move your upper body in all directions.

The bones themselves do not actually bend or twist. Mobility comes from the joints formed by each bone of the spine that joins the one below and the one above. Between each set of spinal bones is a disc (called an intervertebral disc) that connects to the spinal bone above and below.

The discs not only act as shock absorbers, but also have the added burden of creating space between the spinal bone above and below for nerves to branch out from the spinal cord to all areas of the body, including the muscles. , organs and skin.

The discs are made of strong rings of a fibrous elastic material called cartilage. In the center of the outer hard rings is a thick fluid with the consistency of thick molasses.

Secondary to old injuries and microtrauma (ie long periods of sitting, repetitive work, poor posture, etc.) discs and joints can become compressed and degenerate prematurely over time.

The role of the inversion table

Although the disc has a limited blood supply and therefore cannot easily heal once compressed, degenerated, or damaged, some studies indicate that the disc does have some nutrient supply that arises from load-induced fluid movement within. and off the disk.

Research is controversial on how much of a nutrient supply the discus can get by compressing and decompressing it.

Why is this important?

In short, if the disc is not receiving nutrients in some way, it will start to break down or degrade. As noted above, once this occurs, it will not regenerate or heal, at least not in an adult.

The role of the inversion table is essentially to decompress or stretch the discs and joints in the spine. Although controversial as to the benefit, it is theoretically reducing the pressure on the tissues around the nerves exiting between the bones of the spine while also helping to improve the amount of nutrients and blood flow to the area.

Is it the right investment for you?

Whether or not an inversion table is suitable to add as part of your spinal health and maintenance regimen really depends on two factors.

First, does it relieve the pain? If using it reduces any pain you’re currently experiencing, then obviously an inversion table is right for you; only for that.

Second, does function improve with long-term use? If it improves your ability to walk, lift, exercise, sit comfortably at work, garden, do chores, or any other activity of daily living, then again that’s a big plus for you.

A simple investment protocol

While an inversion table will likely come with a recommended protocol to follow, as a ‘degenerative disc’ patient and chiropractor in Keller, Texas, I also have some recommendations.

While most recent research sites moderate disc compression as the most beneficial treatment for improving disc-related spinal health, it would make sense that alternating moderate compression and decompression would have a positive impact on overall health and the function of the inter- vertebral discs and spinal joints.

This would be more analogous to the care a patient would receive at a physical therapy or chiropractic center that offers spinal decompression services. I have seen firsthand the positive impact such therapy can have on a person suffering from chronic low back pain.

Based on the success of decompression therapy in the clinic, it only makes sense to try to follow this same logic in an inversion unit at home.

When you start using an inversion table, start slow!

I recommend inverting about 15 degrees and holding for 30 seconds and then coming back to flat (or even a little longer) for 10 seconds so you’re putting a little gravity on your spine. Repeat this cycle 10 times. Do this daily for 10 days.

Even at a 15 degree angle, your body will feel a slight muscle stretch and the benefits of increased blood and lymphatic circulation. Most people don’t need to exceed 60 degrees, as you’ll naturally start fighting decompression at this angle. Don’t exceed what your body tells you!

Also, if you have glaucoma or blood pressure related problems, hanging upside down for a prolonged period of time can have adverse effects.

Beyond the introduction of 10 days of ‘decompression followed by recompression’ to the spine, I recommend 3 days a week holding the inverted position for one minute at 15-45 degrees and then returning to the horizontal position or slightly compressing the spine again. column for 20 seconds. and then repeat. I’ve been doing about 10 cycles of this and have found it to improve my overall functioning level and reduce any lower back pain.

What you add to the decompression protocol is up to you and what you want to add. This could include moving your head from side to side, reaching your arms overhead, or performing slow pelvic tilts.

When combined with a rehabilitation exercise program, the use of an inversion table really makes sense when you consider how compressed our discs and joints are due to long periods of sitting and bad postures and how commonly we have premature degenerative joints and discs due to past traumas and ongoing microtraumas.

However, as with stretching, strengthening, diet and hydration, you will get the best long-term results if you find a program of use and stick to it. Once you’ve been using it for a couple of months, inverting even just twice a week is probably enough, but everyone is different as to what frequency will work best for their spine.

Talk to your chiropractor or physical therapist about how often you should invert and the specific movements to improve your inversion and, as with any home therapy program, if you experience unusual pain, stop immediately until you can consult your health care professional. health.