The Truth about the Gravity Inversion Table

The gravity inversion table has gained much attention in recent years. Doctors today spend most of their time treating the symptoms of back pain using methods such as electrical stimulation, anti-inflammatory medications, coritzone injections and ultrasound. Unfortunately, providing temporary relief of symptoms does not address the cause of back pain. In many cases the largest contributing factor to back pain is spinal compression.

Spinal compression is something that takes place in our bodies over a lifetime. The force of gravity actiing on our bodies creates pressure and stresses our joints, mucles, bones and ligaments. The area that is affected most is the spine. Developing imbalance in the muscles combined with gravity, pushes the vertabrae together, which compresses the discs.

The discs contain a material that acts like a shock absorber which allows for cushioning and flexibility when exercising, sitting and standing. In the course of a day the effects of gravity force some of the cushioning fluid out of the discs which decreases the space between them. During sleep, some, but not all of this fluid it reabsorbed by the discs. This continued process over the years is the reason why people lose one half to two inches of height in their senior years.

When the distance between the vertabrae becomes to small the result is nerve pressure which leads to pain. Many activities in life result in pressure upon the spine which is unevenly distributed.The uneven distribution eventually causes serious problems such as bulging discs and herniated discs, which lead to spinal damage and a life of chronic pain. Even the smallest amount of decompression at this point can be sufficient to relieve pressure on nerves and allow herniated discs to pop back into place.

In recent years, the gravity inversion table has become a popular means of spinal decompression. The common form of inversion therapy is performed using an inversion table. The table allows you to invert in a relaxed position. which reduces the pressure on the discs and vertabrae allowing the ligaments and muscles around the spine to relax. Research involving many clinical studies have found that inversion therapy is the quickest, safest and most effective way to relieve back pain by recovering lost space between the vertabrae.

Inversion therapy has been found to have several other benefits beside spinal decompression. They help to improve posture making sitting and standing more comfortable, prevent loss of height which occurs due to the effects of gravity over the years, relax and sleep better at nigh, offset the affects of strenuous workouts and other activities that have caused uneven compression of the spine, improve circulation allowing lymphatic system to clear, easing aches and pains in the muscles more effectively.

There have been some concerns regarding the safety of inversion therapy. Some users have been concerned because their face gets red while inverted. This isn't unhealthy. In fact, the opposite is true. Increased blood flow to the skin, eyes, hair and brain promotes health in these areas. People have found that if they are not comfortable they can invert to a lesser angle until they become used to being inverted.

Individuals with heart disease, eye conditions, high blood pressure or those who have had fusion surgery should check with their doctor before using inversion therapy.