Inversion Table Review

Inversion tables are a very popular treatment for low back pain, but do they really work?  The idea behind these tables is very simple… strap your feet in and let yourself fall backward.  As you lay at an angle upside down, your low back will naturally relax and the spine will decompress.  This helps take pressure off the discs in the low back that may be on a nerve causing pain.  You lay in this position for a while and are required to do it a few times a day.

So, how effective are they?  Some people do notice  reduction in pain for a short while after using inversion tables, but that usually doesn’t last very long.  The reason is simple… once you are standing straight up again, the spine will compress again and cause the same pain you were feeling before.  So, we’re sorry to say that inversion tables are not very effective at all for reducing or eliminating lower back pain.  There are a few very good reasons why.

First, you can’t spend your life upside down.  And as soon as you are right side up again, you are right back where you started.  There is no holding or cumulative effect from an inversion table.  It only lasts for a little while and then boom, the pain is back.  So, unless you plan on spending the rest of your life upside down, you will need to focus on more ffective and long term treatments for low back pain.

More importantly, inversion tables do not get to the root of the reason why you have low back pain in the first place.  They are more like a short term band-aid.  The real reason for low back pain is general because of muscle imbalances that lead to bad posture that lead to spinal compression in the low back.  This spinal compression forces the bone in the spine (vertebrae) to squeeze together and crush the delicate discs and nerves in between them.  As a result, the best way to reverse this is by doing the right kind of rehab (exercises and stretches) to fix the muscle imbalances and postural distortions.

But, laying on an inversion table will not fix postural distortions or muscle imbalances.  It is a quick short cut with no lasting effect.  Instead of using an inversion table, we strongly recommend taking the time to do follow an excellent low back rehab program.  Work with a specialist if possible.  But, that can be expensive and not in your budget.  In that case, if you are looking for an at home rehab program, we recommend the SMS Low Back Rehab Program for $20.  Or, check out our full review on the SMS Low back Program by clicking the image below…