Inversion Table - anyone have one?

[purbeast0]

I have some disc issues in my lumbar and I'm fairly active. My lower back typically is aching from disc pain issues almost constantly. It's not like terrible or anything, but days after I lift weights doing back or legs or shoulders, my back is typically sore down in the lumbar.

I've heard the inversion tables can be pretty nice. I plan on trying them out at sports authority this weekend to see how it makes my back feel. I was just searching craigslist and there are some good deals there, however I want to see how it actually feels to use one.

So anyone on here have one and use it regularly? If so how does it make you feel?

 

[glenn beck]

I have used them before, very relaxing. I dont really have a bad back though. You can feel it stretch you out after awhile, so I could see it relieving back pain discomfort for those that suffer with it. Also get the Teeter brand, no sense on going cheap while hanging upside down

 

[purbeast0]

I have used them before, very relaxing. I dont really have a bad back though. You can feel it stretch you out after awhile, so I could see it relieving back pain discomfort for those that suffer with it. Also get the Teeter brand, no sense on going cheap while hanging upside down

yea I see a few teeters on craigslist going for $150 - $200 that claim to be barely used.

these are the models that sell for $300 - $450 new.

 

[MikeMike]

waiting for Eits to say just go to the chiro...

 

[vi edit]

How decent are your ab muscles? My wife has a compressed disk in L2 and she has found that ab exercises really help control pain and discomfort from that injury.

 

[purbeast0]

How decent are your ab muscles? My wife has a compressed disk in L2 and she has found that ab exercises really help control pain and discomfort from that injury.

my abs are fairly strong, i work them out weekly as i do the rest of my muscles.

i notice when i do the hamstring curl things, like where you lie down, when i put the back of my calves under the bar to curl back up, it kind of stretches out my back and gives me relief. but its' only when i'm sitting there before i do my exercise.

i realized this yesterday how much of a relief it is, and that is actually what made me remember about inversion tables.

 

[conehead433]

I have one and it works great. Using one of these may not help someone already in a great deal of pain, it may accentuate the problem. Mine does help relieve lower back pains from spending too much time on the riding mower, and helps stretch out to get some motion in the upper back. If you watch craigslist you might find one somebody is unable to use and get it for cheap.

 

[MikeMike]

there are 2 back stretches i know of that provide some fairly good relief when i do use them... learned them from my dad who has a bulging disc, and a compressed disck...

lie on your back, and keeping your shoulders square on the ground, arms extended above your head, raise one leg up and over the other as far over as you can, not vertically, but more horizontally... hold for 30-60 seconds, switch legs... do this 5 times or so per leg...

lie on your back, extend arms above head, raise left leg, and right arm, towards each other attempting to touch them... switch leg/arm... repeat... again in 30-60 second intervals.

 

[Fritzo]

I have one in my basement gym. I do inverted curls on it about once a week. They do stretch your back out, but it would seem to me as soon as you got off of it your back trouble would return.

 

[BoomerD]

waiting for Eits to say just go to the chiro...

My last two chiropractors both had inversion tables...I like the things myself, BUT, it does take some getting used to.

 

[purbeast0]

I have one in my basement gym. I do inverted curls on it about once a week. They do stretch your back out, but it would seem to me as soon as you got off of it your back trouble would return.

well i believe it is the decompression of the spine that is just a relief and the effects can last longer than the time you are inverted.

again i've never used one myself but that is what I have come to understand about them.

 

[bignateyk]

If it is anything similar to doing decompression by simply hanging from a pullup bar and relaxing I wouldn't recommend it.

I have a bad lower back, and if I try poor-mans decompression by just hanging, it feels amazing while I am doing it. Then I get back down and take a few steps and everything feels good. But the second I bend in any way I drop to the floor with horrific lower back spasms.

I have no idea why it happens, but I would assume it would happen with the inversion tables as well since it is basically doing the same thing...

 

[5to1baby1in5]

I have one, and it helps quite a bit.

Chiropractor once told me to not go more than 30 degrees past horizontal as hanging completly verticle puts too much stretching force on the spine, and can damage it further. The idea is to relieve the pressure on the spine and increase blood flow to the damaged area. If you are old (over 30), too much blood pressure in your head can also result in a stroke.