Inversion Help for Back Pain

Inversion therapy is a form of physical therapy that is used to relieve back pain. People use special equipment for inversion therapy that allows them to hang upside down. Patients should discuss the risks of this therapy with a doctor.

Gravity

• Inversion therapy patients get relief from the harmful effects of gravity when they hang upside down, according to the Mayo Clinic. Gravity exerts a constant pressure on the nerves and disks in the spine when a patient sits or stands in an upright position.

Traction

• Inversion therapy stretches a patient's spine and increases the amount of space between the vertebrae of the spine.

Pain Relief

• People often receive temporary relief from back pain while they hang upside down during an inversion therapy session. This type of therapy does not provide long-term relief from back pain.

Risks

• Patients with glaucoma, high blood pressure or heart disease should not try inversion therapy. Hanging in an inverted position can cause a person's heart rate to slow and result in an increase in blood pressure.

Types

• Inversion therapy may be performed by suspending the entire body from a horizontal bar or an inversion table. This therapy may include supports that allow patients to bend their knees or flex their hips.