I am looking for feedback on the use of inversion tables. I have a case of sciatic pain and am considering buying one. Have they relieved back pain for any members ?

made my back feel better but damaged my knees. I do not use it anymore. My girlfriend uses it fairly often and it seems to make here feel better. If it works for you it is cheap help, buy used, or better yet borrow one from someone who no longer uses the one they have, no point spending the extra money for a new one.

You either love them or hate them. I'm in the love it camp. I only need a couple of minutes about 3 times a week to keep my back feeling good.

I'm a fan.

I bought one and have it in my office at work. I like it.

One tip though, is that you don't need to go full-inversion for the benefits. It's easier on the knees and ankles.

I was in so much pain a couple years ago that I could not sit in the Orthopedic Surgeons' waiting room. He advised trying inversion before resorting to surgery. I got the latest Teeter, tried it a few times and did not notice any improvement. Sold it on Craigslist and found that a lot of rest and zero bending brought relief though it took a few weeks to get normal.
As has been said- some love them. The guy who bought my almost new one is a marine mechanic and crawls around in boat bilges lifting heavy parts and his back suffers a lot. He formerly hung from a door frame which helped and was wanting a table.
Anything that helps before surgical fusion is worth a try.

I liked mine when I used it. I stopped using it and am going to start up again, I am having worse problems than before, but this time a little different.

I had what the OP has. I think that stretching is what really helped that.

It would not hurt to try it. Like one poster said buy a good used one and do not just use it a few times, do it on a consistent basis for a month.
You might also try message therapy, but you need a really good therapist, all are not equal. I have a really good therapist. Unfortunately her one weakness is my spinal issue.

Fun fact. Stretch your hamstrings to help with low back pain.

(The dumbed down version) Your low back should have a curve to it. Without the curve, you put uneven pressure on the discs in between your vertebra, and this pressure can cause pain on the nerves radiating out from your low back. This curve necessitates that your pelvis has a forward tilt, like a bowl of water tipping forward and pouring water out the front of your belly. The muscles on the back of your upper legs (your hamstring and glutes), are all connected to the back side of your pelvis.

When your hamstrings are tight, it pulls on the back side of your pelvis and reduces the amount of forward tilt your pelvis has. This loss of tilt then causes your lower back to straighten out and lose the curve. Millimeter changes in angles cause drastic geometry changes.

Stretch your hamstrings, improve the pelvic tilt, fix your lower back curve, generally improve your posture, reduce back pain. Fun fact.

My big kid had one, Mrs. Mike and I both used it. He moved away and took his table with him. Man I miss that inversion table.

It helped my bulging disc in my neck. And it helped her hips.

I have one, and I love it. Don't use it as much as I should. I have mild sciatic pain and tight hamstrings.

As Aeteocles pointed out, tight hamstrings can be a significant cause of lower back pain. You need to warm your muscles up before you stretch. Stretching cold muscles won't do much. Go for a short 5-10 minute walk, bike ride, etc, then stretch.

If you have a history of glaucoma or heart issues, talk to your Doctor first. Hanging upside down can put a strain on both.

Again, you don't need to go full inversion, I think I go about 70 degrees, to where I feel comfortable. I play a music video on my phone, maybe 5 minutes, and that's it. It pays to be consistent, every day.

quote:

Originally posted by thezoltar:
You either love them or hate them. I'm in the love it camp. I only need a couple of minutes about 3 times a week to keep my back feeling good.

This times x1000. A minor investment compared to the alternatives. The Teeter brand is built like a brick shithouse. Very well made. The upgrade on the boots are very comfortable.

I bought on 5 years ago and haven't seen my chiropractor since. My 88 year old father tried it when he was first diagnosed with stenosis and 2 days later we were assembling his in the den. He is pain free most days at the age of 90.

Sounds like it is well worth a shot. I will try to find a used one as anything to avoid future surgery will be tried. Thanks for all the replies!

My Dad has an "el cheapo" one that he got almost 40 yrs ago. He only uses it once in a while. I played on it as a kid. When I moved out on my own, I had a nice pair of inversion boots & a nice setup to be able to walk my feet up to the bar & get back down. Used it ever day, then moved & would only use them at the gym. I made a place to hang in my current house, but it's not next to a wall, so harder to get upside down.

Decided to check craigslist for a used inversion table. Got the one that was rated for the most weight in case I could talk my husband into it. I LOVE it. Easy to get in & out of, the part that holds your ankles is comfortable, & it's quick. I spend maybe 2 min in it every day. Another tip:

Don't overdo it, esp. at first.

In the beginning I did 1 minute at a time, four times a day, did that for about a week, then increased time & decreased frequency. If my back seems particularly "off", I'll hang for extra time or do an extra session. I can definitely tell a difference. I believe mine is the "Ironman 2000" with memory foam & adjustable lumbar support. Very sturdy & comfy.

I have a herniated L5S1 disk. I had chronic back and sciatic pain for years, as well as some permanent nerve damage that has caused a loss of sensation in my toes. I spent hundreds at the chiropractor, did physical therapy, and bought an inversion table. All of these things helped a little bit, but I was still in pain.

Ultimately, I had to get in shape for a job opportunity, lost 75lbs and strengthened my core, as well as improved my diet and consumed more vitamin D (a natural anti-inflamatory). I've been pain free for two and a half years now. The inversion table was expensive, mostly innefective, and took up a lot of space in the house. I ended up selling it for less than half of what I paid.

Three spine surgeries, instrumentation in two areas, Inversion tables.....I have a Teeter and I CAN say it has really helped me to deal with my spine as it is now. The relief is not as long lasting as I would wish, but it has been a life saver!! My wife HATES the thing though, says its a real eyesore, but I give it THREE thumbs up!!

quote:

Originally posted by ASKSmith:

Again, you don't need to go full inversion, I think I go about 70 degrees, to where I feel comfortable.

While I have no problem doing the full on hang, lol, it actually feels like it's doing less for me than partial inversion.



As for stretching, I dunno. I used to do it TO stretch. When I was still playing early morning ball games (which I hated), I'd get right out of bed and on the thing. Get dressed and go to the game.

I had considered getting one a few years ago. I asked my doctor for advice on it and he said NO. He claimed an Inversion Table would bump up my high blood pressure.

I have been using one for years. Its not a cure by itself but part of a layered approach along with exercises to stretch and strengthen my back and related parts of the body. I would echo everything Aeteocles has said in this thread.