If you've been considering the use of an inversion table to help your back pain, you may want to become familiar with some concerns and risks listed below.
First, let's briefly review why inversion tables have become so popular in treating back pain. Then, we will cover the important information shared by Dr. Celeste Robb-Nicholson in her report in the Harvard Women's Health Watch.
Here are some of the benefits claimed by proponents of inversion table therapy for alleviating back pain:
- Inversion table therapy has been claimed to relieve back pain by decreasing pressure, caused by gravity, on the spine.
- Proponents also report an improvement in posture, flexibility, and an increase in blood flow to the brain.
- Other potential benefits: it can relieve varicose veins and help abdominal organs correctly re-position themselves.
Dr. Robb-Nicholson's concern with the purported benefits listed above is that, up until now, no scientific evidence has supported these claims.
But Robb-Nicholson, as well as other experts, points out that inversion table therapy is probably just stretching the muscles around the spine. So, more than likely, any relief from back pain from using inversion therapy will be short-term since the stretching of muscles can alleviate or reduce muscle spasms.
Dr. Robb-Nicholson also points out the potential risks of inversion table therapy: a decrease in heart rate, increased blood pressure, and increased pressure of the eye.
Inversion table therapy can also cause bleeding of the retina, headaches, and blurred vision. Who should not use inversion table therapy: if you're pregnant, or have been diagnosed with heart disease, high blood pressure, glaucoma or any other eye disease.
To summarize, inversion table therapy can provide short-term relief of back pain. However, there are potential risks involved, especially for individuals diagnosed with high blood pressure, glaucoma, or other heart and eye diseases.
Source:
"By the way, doctor: Do inversion tables work?" Harvard Women's Health Watch 1 Nov. 2009. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 20 Jan. 2010.
Emer Inversion Table from Bizarkdeal
ReplyDeleteCompared to the inversion tables I have used in the past this is one of the best by far. It is comfortable, easy to use and l love that it locks in place for multiple angles. The instructions could use some more detail as some assembly steps were left out, after studying the pictures and using logic I was able to figure out without much trouble. It is a heavy duty table and very well made, I have not doubt that it can hold the 330lbs it says it can. My husband has had a lot of back pain and since using this a few minutes several times a day he has already felt enemies relief. My 9 yr old son has back pain as well and has started to use it some, it is easy for him to adjust and get set up for his hight and use himself. We also discovered that with the well placed hole in the top of the back rest you can lock it in to place and use it as a massage table. I can say I am very happy with my purchase!
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