About This Blog:
- An inversion table is a unique device that allows the body to hang upside down, causing the vertebrae, joints, and discs of the spine to expand.
- These tables are often advertised as an affordable, non-invasive therapy for reducing low back pain.
- In this blog, Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine explains whether or not inversion tables are capable of relieving back pain.
There’s an interesting technique being touted as an effective treatment for back pain: inversion therapy. You may have seen these table-like devices advertised on television, and it may have intrigued you make a call or consider purchasing one. Some people who sell or use inversion tables swear by their health benefits, while others, namely medical researchers, are indifferent.
We will address whether or not inversion tables work to relieve back pain, but first, we want to explain what they are and how they work. An inversion table is a padded device that rotates backwards to hang a person’s body upside down.
This may sound unusual, but many specialists in chiropractic medicine claim hanging at an inverted angle can reduce stress and pain in the back, improve muscle tension, and boost blood circulation. These “benefits” come from the bones, joints, and discs in your spine expanding, which is said to reduce pressure and pain.
Unfortunately, there are a number of studies about inversion therapy that seem to come to the same conclusion: inversion therapy is neither beneficial nor detrimental to low back pain. The Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association conducted a study on inversion therapy in 2001 and they found the best form of treatment for back pain is therapeutic exercise for non-specific back pain.
Other studies have found there is an increased risk of high blood pressure, glaucoma, and an unsafe rise in heart rate for patients with a history of hypertension or cardiovascular disease. It’s best to speak to your primary care physician or spine specialist before purchasing or using an inversion table on a regular basis.
For patients suffering from chronic back pain, we advise seeing Dr. Giovanini to rule out an underlying condition. Should a degenerative spinal condition be present, Dr. Giovanini will be able to recommend longer lasting, medically proven therapies and treatments for your pain, including minimally invasive spine surgery.
For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit https://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.
We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.