Inversion Tables

Does anyone have one or use one regularly? I've had some herniated discs for a couple years now so I got one off Craigslist, but I've only had it a couple days. I hear good things about them, but just wanted to see if anyone had some facts/ opinions on them.

I saw on Dr. Oz that he says they work by relieving pressure on the disks. good luck.

My sister has one. I've used it. It seems like quackery.

A friend of mine has one, nothing like what I was expecting. I was told I was gonna hear my back cracking and whatnot, nope, just upside down. No relief.

Originally Posted by Reggs

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My sister has one. I've used it. It seems like quackery.

Go on.

I'm interested as well. I have a herniated and degenerating lumbar disc which did not respond to cortisone injections, and require fairly consistent opiates for pain.

I've seen these tables in a few stores before (thrift and retail), but for liability reasons, they never let me try them out in store.

I doubt it's "un-herniating" anything, but it seems to help relieve a little tension and soreness.

Have you thought of seeing a chiropractor? I know there are many out there who are weary of them but I've used them in the past and they've worked for me. The hard part is finding a good one!

Bmac

Originally Posted by bmac11c

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Have you thought of seeing a chiropractor? I know there are many out there who are weary of them but I've used them in the past and they've worked for me. The hard part is finding a good one!

Bmac

Eh, I've been a few times, but how much of a difference could there be between traction and inversion?

I'm very wary of chiropractors, but I'd place more trust in them than a hinged table.

Good question. From what I've read:

"Spinal Decompression Treatment is non-invasive and provides gentle decompression of the disc through the use of a decompression table. You are strapped to the table so that as it moves it applies a distraction force to the targeted area of the spine (the compressed disc). A computer controls the distraction force which is applied in between periods of relaxation. This gently pulls the spine apart elongating it and creating a small vacuum between the vertebrae which pulls the disc back into shape."

Seems to be much different than relying on your weight and gravity. I've never had it done to me, but it might be worth a shot. Most insurance will cover it, but you'll probably have a co-pay.

Bmac

Originally Posted by Rosenberg

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Eh, I've been a few times, but how much of a difference could there be between traction and inversion?

Originally Posted by bmac11c

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Have you thought of seeing a chiropractor? I know there are many out there who are weary of them but I've used them in the past and they've worked for me. The hard part is finding a good one!

Bmac

A chiropractor may well give an awesome massage. Might help me temporarily. But the reason I'm against them is that.... at least traditionally, they're based on the non-scientific premise that all health is determined by the flow of vital force through the spine, to organs. They claim that all disease is caused by "kinks" or "subluxations" in the spine. My aunt, who is into all kinds of bs alternative medicine, for example, claims to know someone who knows someone who was cured of blindness by a chiropractic adjustment.

When I said "wow. thats incredible. I had no idea that the optic nerve traveled from the back of the eye, all the way down to your lower back, before doubling back on itself and connecting to the brain. That seams wildly inefficient, but it must be true ", I got called "closed-minded"

So basically, traditional chiropractors are nut-jobs. And "good" chiropractors are massage therapists, sharing the title of nutjob. And most lie somewhere in between. (I'm kind of a dork for scientific skepticism. I have the same handle on the Skeptics Guide to the Universe forums btw)

Maybe I'll look for a massage therapist.

Totally understandable.

Originally Posted by SnarlPatrick

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A chiropractor may well give an awesome massage. Might help me temporarily. But the reason I'm against them is that.... at least traditionally, they're based on the non-scientific premise that all health is determined by the flow of vital force through the spine, to organs. They claim that all disease is caused by "kinks" or "subluxations" in the spine. My aunt, who is into all kinds of bs alternative medicine, for example, claims to know someone who knows someone who was cured of blindness by a chiropractic adjustment.

When I said "wow. thats incredible. I had no idea that the optic nerve traveled from the back of the eye, all the way down to your lower back, before doubling back on itself and connecting to the brain. That seams wildly inefficient, but it must be true ", I got called "closed-minded"

So basically, traditional chiropractors are nut-jobs. And "good" chiropractors are massage therapists, sharing the title of nutjob. And most lie somewhere in between. (I'm kind of a dork for scientific skepticism. I have the same handle on the Skeptics Guide to the Universe forums btw)

Maybe I'll look for a massage therapist.

I want to get a used one off of craigs too. I don't have a bad back but I want to use to decompress after heavy squats and deadlifts. I've heard they can prevent height shrinkage or even increase it (just by an inch or so at most). Any truth?

Originally Posted by inq89

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. I've heard they can prevent height shrinkage or even increase it (just by an inch or so at most). Any truth?

I doubt it. Astronauts would "decompress" for months on end and grow 1/2 inch taller in space. Back to normal when they got back to earth though.


Wouldn't the inversion be awful your knees?