Inversion therapy has been around since the days of “the father of medicine”, Hippocrates, in 400 BC. With inversion therapy, a patient with certain back conditions that cause pain is hung upside in order to apply traction to the spine. The theory is that this relieves the pressure of gravity on the discs and nerve roots in the spine by increasing the amount of space between each of the vertebrae and helps in relieving back pain.

The Benefits of Inversion Therapy

Inversion therapy

Probably the most well known benefit of inversion therapy is its ability to relieve back and neck pain. Several of the causes of this type of pain like bad posture, lack of muscle strength in the abdomen and back, and spinal misalignments can be linked to gravity. Invasion therapy uses gravity to work for you by aligning your body with gravity’s downward force. Your body weight becomes a natural type of traction, which lengthens the spine and reduces the pressure that is normally put on discs, nerves, and ligaments.

Things like stress and tension can make the muscles in the back, shoulders, and neck spasm because the supply of oxygen, blood, and lymph flow is reduced. Inversion therapy even at an angle of 25 degrees and help to relax these tense muscles.

Other benefits to inversion therapy

· The muscles known as the “core” include the abdominals, obliques, and lower back muscles. It is important to have strong core muscles in order to maintain good posture and efficient body movement. Most exercises that are designed to strengthen the core need to be done carefully and accurately and can sometimes cause spinal injury. Training the core using inversion therapy allows you to strengthen those muscles without overloading the spine.

· Inversion therapy can also help your back recover from high impact workouts like running, aerobics, and weightlifting.

· Inverting the body with inversion therapy can help ease stiff and sore muscles. When muscles are sore, they contain too much lactic acid. When the body is inverted, the lactic acid is pushed up to the chest, clearing the lymphatic system and easing the pain faster.

While inversion therapy may not give long-term relief from back pain, it is certainly capable of providing temporary relief. This, along with its many other benefits, has made inversion therapy more and more popular. Many people have an inversion therapy table in their home and use it regularly.