inversion table for your back

[METAL MONKEY]

Does anyone use one? I've had a few people recommend them to me, and say they work very well. I had a freebie checkout (x-rays and what not) with a chiropractor last year, and he tells me my back is about the same shape of a 50 year olds. I'm 28. He wanted $2k for the first couple of months worth of treatment. I didn't have the money nor the time to commit. Recently, after a business trip, my lower back has not stopped hurting, so I thought about the inversion tables again.

Please let me know what your experiences have been, and what models work well, if they are worth it.

Thanks

 

[gerroffroad.com]

I had a GF who had one at her house and it really helped a lot with basic back pain but it did not do much to fix the issue causing the pain for her mother. I used it a couple times to see what it was like and it did feel pretty good but if your back is messed up the chiropractor is probably the best bet for fixing the issues you have

 

[poorboy_616]

I used one while I was in PT for a back injury that resulted from a car accident.

It felt great. I went thru with the PT all the way to end, including 20 or so Chirpractor appointments.

It's been 10 years and is now giving me troubles again, so I may be looking for another chiropractor here locally......

 

[Gritts]

Before you start thereapy with a Chiropractor, get a second opinion from a bone doctor who's an actual MD. And for goodness sake avoid prescription pain meds.

 

[RichP]

Roman Chair, basically it is a rectangular steel base with to 'pads' one round and one rectangular, the other horizontal round. they are both about waist nads high, you step in between the two and lean over, the round one catches you behind the knees/thighs, the other your abdomen, while the back of your body is supported the waist to head is in mid air, you do kind of a reverse situp, it will strengthen the back muscles like you won't believe, the chairs are like $200 new, I've seen them in some of the catalogs.
This one is fancier than I'm used to but you get the idea.
http://newyorkbarbells.tv/92625.html
I had a back injury from the service and it's the only thing that helps me when I pull my back out or get too fat and BOB [Belly over belt] causes problems. My own personal 'quit eating alarm'....

Oh, this usually produces results once you get over about 10 'reverse sit ups' over about 3 days...pops all those little rubber bands in your spin right back in order and strengthens them.

 

[igotanxj]

Yeah go to a real doctor (orthopedic), chiropractors are nothing compared to them. I just got done with 4 months of physical therapy from 2 herniated disks and 4 degenerating disks and through epidural steroidal injections and pt it helped tremendously. Nothing helps a hurt back like watching your activities though.

Also, core strength is the best way to avoid further injuries.

 

[poorboy_616]

I have seen my regular doc. He is the one who recommended the chiropractor.....

I try to avoid RX meds as much as possible. But, after a certain point, there is no alternative. Considering that my shoulder requires surgery, I will more PT for that too....

 

[srimes]

Roman Chair, basically it is a rectangular steel base with to 'pads' one round and one rectangular, the other horizontal round. they are both about waist nads high, you step in between the two and lean over, the round one catches you behind the knees/thighs, the other your abdomen, while the back of your body is supported the waist to head is in mid air, you do kind of a reverse situp, it will strengthen the back muscles like you won't believe, the chairs are like $200 new, I've seen them in some of the catalogs.
This one is fancier than I'm used to but you get the idea.
http://newyorkbarbells.tv/92625.html
I had a back injury from the service and it's the only thing that helps me when I pull my back out or get too fat and BOB [Belly over belt] causes problems. My own personal 'quit eating alarm'....

Oh, this usually produces results once you get over about 10 'reverse sit ups' over about 3 days...pops all those little rubber bands in your spin right back in order and strengthens them.

I don't know about injury recovery, but for lower back exercises look at stiff-leg deadlifts and good mornings. I like the roman chair but don't have one so I do stiff leg deadlifts. Works the hamstrings at the same time too. Regular deadlifts and squats are great for building core strength too. But while these are great exercises, they're dangerous if done incorrectly and can cause injury, so make sure you're doing it right and not pushing too hard.

 

[igotanxj]

I agree that you can't always avoid Rx meds unless you really dont mind pain. I was on Percocet which works well, and is also really fun. The 800mg Ibuprofen worked best tho, its an anti imflamitory as well as pain reliever, so the bulging disk would actually let off the nerve a bit while i was on it.

 

[seven]

To answer the original question. The theory of inversion tables to "decompress" your back is a great one, however do a little research and see how they have been linked to eye and head problems. The problem is that they can cause intercranial(within you head) blood pressure to shoot up which can cause anything from headaches to retinal detachment. If you still make the decision to do it then read up on how much angle of inversion and what treatment time and schedule should be applied. My opinion is that you should stay away from them and find another chiropractor that doesn't charge a lot up front like the one you went to.

Yeah go to a real doctor (orthopedic), chiropractors are nothing compared to them. I just got done with 4 months of physical therapy from 2 herniated disks and 4 degenerating disks and through epidural steroidal injections and pt it helped tremendously. Nothing helps a hurt back like watching your activities though.

Please back up you statement about chiropractors. And get back to us in a couple months when you injection wears off and your back in pain. I am not saying that Orthopedist are bad however there is a saying that "If your a hammer everything is a nail" So if you want to take a foreign substance to cover up a problem or have someone alter you surgically before looking at natural options Then go right ahead and go to the orthopedist first. My opinion is to do whatever I can before I end up on an surgery table or in front of a needle with foreign substance to keep my back in line. I have had awesome results with chiropractic and Physical therapy that was given and shown to me by a chiropractor.

 

[tclapp_88]

Please back up you statement about chiropractors. And get back to us in a couple months when you injection wears off and your back in pain. I am not saying that Orthopedist are bad however there is a saying that "If your a hammer everything is a nail" So if you want to take a foreign substance to cover up a problem or have someone alter you surgically before looking at natural options Then go right ahead and go to the orthopedist first. My opinion is to do whatever I can before I end up on an surgery table or in front of a needle with foreign substance to keep my back in line. I have had awesome results with chiropractic and Physical therapy that was given and shown to me by a chiropractor.

i would, personally, go to an orthopedic (actually a neurosurgeon) first simply because i did the way you would and went to the chiropractor first ended up having a severely jacked up back. it is now getting better, 3 years later, 2 surgeries, and a few injections. the neurosurgeon said the the chiropractor definitely didn't help it any, since my back was broke and he was twisting me (doing something that i dont remember what he called it) and he was adjusting me. i ended up having spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis, whatever. anyway, the back of the vertebrae broke in two places allowing the vertebras from L5 and up to slip forward on the disc, all the stress on the disc caused it to rupture. i now have a fused back. i do go to the chiropractor now and did go to physical therapy for 11 months straight after the last surgery and its great now. not much pain at all, which is really rare i was told considering how bad my back was.

i do believe that walking is the best thing for back pain, unless there is something like a ruptured disc, walking doesnt help then. walking has helped me so much.

 

[RichP]

Going by your post I still recommend the chair, if you spend alot of time on your ass in chairs, driving or riding in a car, alot of time in poorly designed couches that fit your decour and have a tendency to reach for stuff in your car while wearing a seatbelt which is a very bad thing to do as the waist belt keeps your hips in place and I can do my back in a heartbeat that way. Same with a bed, they don't last forever, we try for a new one every 8 years.
The chair will strengthen the muscles in the back and spine, as you work up to 50 of those inverted backwards situps start adding a 5 then a 10 then a 20lb weight hugging it to your chest. When I first did it I had results within the week using it every other day.
You want the one with the handles on it so you don't get 'stuck' in it There is also a Nautilus machine where you lay flat and use weights attached to a bar that is behind your knees that also worked pretty well but the chair was something I could buy and have at home.
Belly over belt buckle does it too, pants/belt squeeze tight and force fat where it's not supposed to be and you bend over or move the wrong way and 'twang' you can feel that twinge as the muscle pulls that lets you know that by tomorrow you won't be able to wipe your own ass or put your socks on.

 

[Gritts]

I have nothing personally against Chiropractors myself. It's just that they have about 5 years of education (of course things may have changed, its been a while since I looked into becoming one) and most of that is undergraduate work in biology or chemistry. My point is an orthopedist or neurologist has a seriously superior education. Just thought a second opinion before spending a lot of money and going through more pain (you will) is a good idea.

Please do stay away from addictive pain meds if you possibly can. Home therapy using some of the ideas listed here could be a good start. If it doesn't work you could then go to a medical Specialist or Chiropractor. A muscle relaxer RX might help. I found applying cold to my back beneficial, I guess it reduces swelling. Ask me how I know.:bawl:


.

 

[igotanxj]

Please back up you statement about chiropractors. And get back to us in a couple months when you injection wears off and your back in pain. I am not saying that Orthopedist are bad however there is a saying that "If your a hammer everything is a nail" So if you want to take a foreign substance to cover up a problem or have someone alter you surgically before looking at natural options Then go right ahead and go to the orthopedist first. My opinion is to do whatever I can before I end up on an surgery table or in front of a needle with foreign substance to keep my back in line. I have had awesome results with chiropractic and Physical therapy that was given and shown to me by a chiropractor.

Its already been a couple of months since I got it done. From what I understand, they last anywhere from 6 months to 20 years, all depending on how you treat your back. I wouldn't call it covering it up either, its a way to treat it at the source. The disk is bulging and pressing against the nerve, which in turn has swelled up because of it which further increases the pinching effect on the nerve. Steroids are used as a powerful anti-inflamitory drug and are injected into the site where the nerve is pinched, therefore decreasing the swelling of the nerve and disk. Its not a cover-up like pain killers are a cover up. And contrary to what a lot of people think, doctors dont always want to throw you on the surgery table. By looking at my MRI's youd think o yeah you need surgery, but they wanted to exhaust every other option before risking permanent nerve damage from a surgery, and it worked. I can basically return to about 85% of my daily activities I had previously been doing.

Every doctor I have talked to since my injury has recommended against chiropractors and it makes sense. If you think about it, doctors go through the typical 4 year undergrad, then 4 years of medical school, and then residency which can last anywhere from another 4 to 8 years. I think they know their stuff afterwards. Most chiropractor schools are only a 4 year program after undergrad, and some are 2 year programs. I've just heard a lot of stories like tclapp has told. My mom went to a chiropractor for years when i was little and never got any better. I went to a physical therapist, orthopedist, neuro surgen, and pain management speacialist and was better in a matter of 4 months. Chiropractors just make you well enough to keep coming back IMHO.

 

[seven]

Chiropractic education consists of a typical 4 year bachelor followed by either a 4 or 5 year chiropractic program so you are looking at the same amount of time as an MD other than there is no residency program.

There are bad chiropractors out there just as there are bad auto technicians(probably about the same ratio). Do I think that all Auto repair shops are going to rip me off? NO but I do shop around and talk to others to try to find the shop that would be honest with me? YES The trick is to find a good one that has your best interest in mind. A good chiropractor would tell you to seek other help if he was not getting you better in a timely fashion. My point is that I would rather try something that does not include: drugs, surgery or injections for a little while Before I step up to something more intrusive.

Just do your homework on finding a good chiropractor.

 

[METAL MONKEY]

Thanks for the opinions. I guess my thought is I'd rather try a treatment that isn't forceful such as a chiropractor. I figured letting gravity do its thing on an inversion table wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find too many bad reviews of the tables. I guess I'll dig harder. I suppose I'll look into the roman chairs as well.

Maybe some background about me would help as well. I'm 28, 5'9", and 175. I've played sports all my life. Right now I mountain bike once a week for
3-4 hrs, ride to work once a week (15 miles one way - 1hr ride time), and jog 3 miles once or twice a week. By all means I'm not out of shape, but I haven't lifted weights since freshman year of college. I have lost a lot of muscle, and haven't kept up on the ab workouts.

My biggest problem for weight training is that I can't find anything to motivate me. When I played sports, it was a no brainer. Now, as long as I can ride with relative ease, I can't get motivated. I'm sure even lifting light weights would help greatly to strengthen my core.

Basically, going to an MD/surgerory isn't really an option at this point. I just want to find an alternative way, hopefully.

 

[RichP]

Thanks for the opinions. I guess my thought is I'd rather try a treatment that isn't forceful such as a chiropractor. I figured letting gravity do its thing on an inversion table wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find too many bad reviews of the tables. I guess I'll dig harder. I suppose I'll look into the roman chairs as well.

Maybe some background about me would help as well. I'm 28, 5'9", and 175. I've played sports all my life. Right now I mountain bike once a week for
3-4 hrs, ride to work once a week (15 miles one way - 1hr ride time), and jog 3 miles once or twice a week. By all means I'm not out of shape, but I haven't lifted weights since freshman year of college. I have lost a lot of muscle, and haven't kept up on the ab workouts.

My biggest problem for weight training is that I can't find anything to motivate me. When I played sports, it was a no brainer. Now, as long as I can ride with relative ease, I can't get motivated. I'm sure even lifting light weights would help greatly to strengthen my core.

Basically, going to an MD/surgerory isn't really an option at this point. I just want to find an alternative way, hopefully.

All that riding and jogging do not work out the back muscles, those are all forward leaning positions, maybe the jogging might, a little. Another option would be to lay down on your stomach at the top of a couple of stairs, facing down. Have the top stair under your abdomen and have your wife sit on your calves, you will get something similar to a roman chair but not as much 'travel'. Resist using your hands pushup like.
The further down your abdomen you can get to the edge of the stair the better the closer to your stomach the less benefit.
Hopefully she will be heavy enough so you don't catapult her over your head

 

[Ryno XJ]

I don't know if I am qualified to respond, but here goes. Back injuries suck, my dad hurt his back when he was 36 and had surgery. In '81 medical technology wasn't the greatest, he had tried everything possible with no results. The fusion he had never really worked that well, resulting in forced retirement at 36 years old.

I have had 3 back surgeries resulting in having two screws, a titanium rod, and an axial screw installed. I have been unable to work since the age of 32, I am about to turn 39. The point I am trying to make with this long winded vent, is to try whatever you feel comfortable with to eleviate your back pain. If natural remedies, chiropractors, meds(with in limits) or excercises work than more power to you. Just think about this, one surgery usually ends up being 2 or 3 or more. It doesn't always end that way, but I know alot of multiple surgery recipients.

Thanks for listening(reading) and TAKE CARE OF YOUR BACK!!!