Why would you ever want to hang upside down from inversion tables? Simple – the health benefits are amazing! Simply put, there is probably not a better way for you to work out and to stretch your back and body, and to and reverse the effects that gravity has on you day in and day out than to perform a few basic, simple inversion table exercises.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes older people are shorter than they were 20 or 30 years ago? Ever had your dad swear that he used to be 6’1”, but somehow is only 5’11” now? Well, a lot of that can actually be true due to the negative effects the force of gravity has on us. Each day that force pulls us down, whether we are running, standing, sitting, or even laying down. This causes our body to contract, especially our spine, which can cause us to loose 1-2 inches from our top height over our lifetime.

Think about it – how many people do you know suffer from back pain? I am going to guess that you can name just about anyone you know, since most people will suffer from debilitating back pain at least once in their lifetime. One of the reasons for this is the compression and de-alignment that happens throughout our lives due to gravity and other activities we participate in (sports, picking up the baby, cleaning out the car, almost anything really including sleeping). When our spine compresses, we loose water in the joints between the discs in our back, potentially creating back pain.

So, what can be done to reverse this? Can it be reversed? Well, it could if you went and lived the rest of your life in space (interesting note – astronauts have at times grown and inch or two after being in space for a short period of time). However, most of us are not astronauts, so that is out of the question. We can, however, use an inversion chair or inversion table, which will help with many of these problems.

There are many inversion table benefits, most of which ultimately can lead to reduced back pain. There are several great resources online where you can find out and learn more about the benefits of inversion tables, but I wanted to share my experience with you.

My first time using an inversion therapy table was last Christmas at my in-laws house. I had seen the machines before, and had been interested, so when my father in law purchased one I knew that I had to try it. However, I was shocked at the testimonial my father in law gave about inversion table therapy. He told me about how his back pain (he had back surgery several years ago) had been reduced dramatically, and how he attributed that to using a gravity inversion table regularly.

I have had some minor back pain, mostly related to sports injuries (neck, lower back), so I decided that I had to try it. After just one week I could feel the difference. My whole body felt better, my back and neck were not as tight, and I didn’t have headaches like I usually have. In other words, I was hooked, even before researching the science behind it.

So, I’m curious to find out your experiences with inversion therapy! Please leave any comments or questions that you might have! I would especially love to hear if you have tried any other inversion therapy tools, such as inversion chairs or hanging gravity boots.

Also, one final note - in looking to purchase the best inversion table, be sure to read many inversion table reviews in addition to trying out several different tables before purchasing.  This will help you figure out which inversion table is best for you.