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The Benefits of an Inversion Table
This is a
breath of fresh air for those suffocating with chronic backache – the
discovery that back pain, irrespective of whether it is caused due to disc
misalignment, a ruptured disc, compressed or herniated discs, sciatica pain,
or stress, can be relieved by suspending oneself upside down in a
stress-free position. By doing so, the pressure on the spine, nerves, and
the muscles will ease slowly, and the vertebra gets decompressed in a few
minutes time. The device that helps one to perform this magic act is an
inversion table. In fact, the advantages or benefits of an inversion table
does not end there, but it is also useful in relieving stress on other
muscles in the body, draining blood from lower body parts, enhancing lymph
flow (swinging action required), and better blood circulation to the brain.
The inversion
table is available in various models, but the standard construction involves
heavy gauge tubing made of steel and a pivot design to facilitate the
inverted or angled movements. A strong angle grip ensures that the person
lying on it won’t lose grip and follow the laws of gravitation as laid down
by classical physics. Further, one can set the angle of the inversion with
minimal effort.
Finally, like
in the case of workouts, for optimal results, it is important to use the
inversion table in the proper way. That is, it is advisable that beginners
may start their activities with a small inversion angle (20-30 degrees)
initially before gradually increasing the slant towards vertical inversion.
Starting from a minimal angle is suggested because, for a raw body, higher
slopes may be enough of a trigger to pull a muscle or strain a nerve in the
back. Also a lot depends upon one’s weight. Well, it may be a tad
impractical to draw generalizations as every person’s physique is different
from one another, it is still advisable to listen to one’s body and perform
the inversion well within its limits. That is, take care to under do the
exercise than overdoing the exercise and letting any injury play spoil sport
in the end.
Most people
could experience complete decompression of the spine at 60 degrees. A few
minutes in that position will completely relieve the spine of all stress.
Complete inversion or an angle of 90 degrees must be attempted only if you
are comfortable in that posture. Better practice it for short intervals
before trying it fully. Higher angles are generally required for people with
strong muscles such as sports people or athletes. For them, doctors usually
advice oscillations in an inverted position for complete stress relief of
muscles and back bones.
For a common
man out there, inversion tables are available in different sophistications
and price tags. Hence, one may better analyze his/her requirements and
budget before buying one. Seeking the advice of your doctor or trainer is
also advisable. Finally, make sure that you get all of the required
accessories – from gravity boots to knee support - before attempting to
invert yourself. Nothing should be done at the expense of safety.
Tail Piece:
While working on an inversion table, the shallower the angle of inversion,
the more time it will take to decompress the spine. Hence, beginners must
lie on an inversion table for longer durations than somebody who is trying
to hang 60 degrees or more. |
