Does an Inversion Table Help Low Back Pain?- Part 1- Physiotherapy, RMT- Kitchener/Waterloo
October 27th, 2015 - Posted in Back Pain, Health, Physiotherapy
I have been suffering from low back pain for a few weeks, and I have seen inversion tables advertised on television that claim to help low back pain. Do inversion tables help low back pain?
Answer:
Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common reasons for a visit to your physician, second only to the common cold. It can be caused by any number of reasons including poor sitting posture, heavy lifting, or frequent bending.
If you have had LBP, you might have realized that a lot of people have experiences with back pain just like you. That also means that many people have tried many different treatments and modalities to help decrease their LBP and improve their function.
An inversion table is a padded table that is connected to a metal frame with hinges.
To use the inversion table, you strap yourself onto the table and slowly allow the table to flip over, thus inverting the body. Inversion tables typically range in cost from $100 to $400.
What Is an Inversion Table Supposed to Do?
The theory behind inversion table use is that by flipping your body over, you are able to unload the bones, joints and discs in the low back. This is thought to create a traction force through the spine, and it has been theorized that traction can decrease low back pain. Another name for inversion tables or inversion therapy is gravitational traction.
Are There Risks Assosciated with Inversion Tables?
The most common risks associated with inversion tables are an unsafe rise in blood pressure, a rise in pressure in the eyes (glaucoma), or a rise in heart rate.
It is therefore recommended that if you have glaucoma, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease you check with your doctor before attempting inversion therapy.
Be Well.
By Brett Sears –Physical Therapy Expert
physicaltherapy.about.com
www.activewellness.ca