A 2000 Year Old Back Pain Treatment With An Incredible Success Rate…
So Why Has The Medical Community For 2000 Years Been Ignoring This Time-Tested And Proven Back Pain Treatment?
Dear Back Pain, Neck Pain & Sciatica Sufferer,
Unfortunately, as you may have personally experienced, most doctors are too busy treating the symptoms of back pain with treatment like anti-inflammatory medications or cortisone injections and Manual Therapists like Chiropractors, Osteopaths & Physiotherapists with treatment like electrical stimulation and ultrasound, BUT they simply ignore what is one of the biggest factors that contributes to back pain.
This important factor is spinal compression…
Spinal Compression - What is it and What Causes It?
From the moment we are born, our bodies are at the mercy of gravity, a force that continuously creates pressure and stress on all of our muscles, bones, joints and ligaments.
By far, the part of the body that is affected most by gravity is the spine. The combination of gravity and muscle imbalances force the vertebrae together, causing pressure on the discs.
Your discs have three jobs:
to separate the vertebrae, provide flexibility to the spine and to act as shock absorbers. Our discs have the ability to absorb and give-up moisture over the course of a day.
As we start the day our discs, like squeezing out a sponge, will compress and dehydrate. In fact a healthy disc will shrink down around 20%, which in turn can result in a daily height loss of 1.3-1.9 cm(0.5″ - 0.75″ ). As we sleep and decompress our spines, our discs swell with nutrient rich fluid and expand back to a hydrated state.
However, there is more permanent shrinking occurring. By age 70 the water content of the discs is reduced on average to 70%, equaling a height loss of 0.5″ to 2″.
Disc separation is especially important since all communication between the brain and the body is via nerves that pass between each vertebrae. Insufficient distance between the vertebrae can result in nerve root pressure and pain.
To make matters worse, more often then not the pressure on the discs is not distributed evenly. Your discs were not designed to withstand such uneven pressure, and sooner or later the disc structure will break down. The discs will bulge or herniate, causing spinal damage and in most cases, a life with chronic pain.
Even the slightest increase in spacing can be enough to allow a protruding or herniated disc to pop back into place or relieve pressure from a compressed nerve.
Decompress Your Spine and Eliminate Your Pain Using A 2000 Year Old Time-Tested And Proven Treatment
What is this time-tested and proven treatment that has been proven effective but is being ignored?
…Inversion Therapy.
Inversion therapy is a method of treating back pain by diminishing the influence of gravity, reducing the compression of the vertebrae and discs and allowing the muscles and ligaments that encase the spine to relax.
This is typically performed on what’s called an inversion table. The table allows you to lie on your back relaxed, in an inverted position. This position eliminates some or all gravitational compression, depending upon the degree of inversion.
Inversion therapy is the safest, quickest and most effective way to increase the space between your vertebrae. Various clinical studies that have been published in reputable medical journals, confirming that inversion really does increase the separation between the discs of the spine, which brings relief from back pain.
For instance, one study considered 175 people who were unable to work due to back pain. After eight inversion treatments, 155 of the patients were able to return to work full time.
How Well Does Inversion Therapy Really Work?
You may be skeptical and are probably wondering whether or not inversion therapy really delivers long-term, lasting relief from back pain and sciatica… so here are some success stories from back pain sufferers like your-self, who have used inversion therapy to get rid of their pain:
“When I first saw the Inversion Table being demonstrated on [TV] while channel surfing it caught my eye. I watched and it made sense. I told a friend about it and she said… “her mother inverted for 20 min. a day for 20 yrs., and when she died at 84 she had no wrinkles and looked much younger than her years.”…
Since I have been using your product I have noticed a stretching and strengthening of my abs and groin. Also, my back feels better. I have been using weights for years, participated in a few power lifting tournaments and I wish would have started inverting years ago as part of my daily workout regimen”.
K.Price – Back Pain Sufferer
“I am a diagnostic radiologist who has abused his back through sports, hard work and horses for years. About seven years ago, I began to experience back and left leg pain that progressed rapidly. An MRI revealed a lot of degenerative changes in my lumbar spine with two intervertebral discs that were herniated and for all practical purposes “worn out”…
I’ve been on antiinflammatories for at least five years with some minimal relief. Five years ago I began to experience numbness in some of my left toes with sciatica in the left hip and leg. This progressed to the point of constant pain and loss of feeling. Six months ago I began to have loss of motor function in my left toes. I have seen the poor results of surgery on a daily basis on MRIs of lumbar discectomy. That was not an option.
A friend who is a sales rep for radiographic equipment, whom I have known for 15 years, told me about the inversion table. My friend had suffered back problems for years and I had seen him many times at the hospital in terrible pain, so I knew he had tried everything. He told me how he had become pain free in about two months using an inversion table. If it had come from almost anyone else I would not have believed it. I ordered one that day. In one week of use, twice to three times per day, the numbness in my toes improved 100%. During the second week I slept my first pain free night in five years. I’m starting my third week tomorrow. This probabaly won’t work for everyone, nothing does, but it is helping me greatly. I’ll give you a follow-up in acouple of months”.
Ken Hamilton, M.D.& Back Pain Sufferer
And If Pain Relief Wasn’t Enough…
While this health page concentrates on whether or not inversion therapy helps alleviate back pain, it is important to mention other benefits people experience with a regular program of inversion therapy -
MAINTAIN YOUTHFUL FUNCTION
♦ Achieve functional fitness - This term is defined as a state of flexibility, strength and balance that supports youthful movement and activity. Inversion is a way to keep joints healthy and flexible as the body ages, which translates to an active way of living throughout a lifetime.
♦ Maintain height - Most people will lose from 0.5″ - 2″ (1.3-5.1 cm) in height during their lifetime due to thinning discs. As a baby, your discs are 90% water. However, the water content in the discs decreases to 70% by age 70. An active inversion program can help maintain more of your original height.
♦ Improves circulation - When you’re inverted, your body can circulate your blood aided by gravity rather than having to work against it. In addition, with inversion, gravity helps the lymphatic system clear faster, easing the aches and pains of stiff muscles.
♦ Relieves stress - A full-body stretch feels rejuvenating! And the inversion table makes that relaxation easier to attain than climbing on a jungle gym or taking a yoga class. Many people sleep better with regular inversion therapy.
♦ Increase oxygen to the brain - Your heart must work against gravity to pump blood up to your brain, which is the body’s largest consumer of oxygen. Although it is only 3% of the body’s total weight, the brain consumes 25% of the body’s oxygen intake. Peter Russell notes in The Brain Book that the deterioration of the brain is not directly linked to age alone. Rather, this deterioration is caused by hardening arteries and high blood pressure, both of which decrease the supply of oxygen to the brain. Thus a major step in reducing mental deterioration over time may simply be increasing the oxygen supply to the brain. (NOTE: If you have high blood pressure, consult your physician before starting an inversion program.)
♦ Increases flexibility and range of motion. With inversion, your joints stay healthy and supple, so that you can easily remain as active as you were in your younger years.
♦ Improves posture. The stretch that comes with reversing the direction of gravity helps you sit, stand and move with more ease and grace.
♦ Relieve varicose veins: When inverting, you are helping your heart to clear the blood from your feet, legs, and lower body. This allows the blood in your limbs to circulate more easily, which may help to drain blood from varicose veins.
PROMOTE ACTIVE LIVING… and the athlete
Today’s fitness and health conscious individuals are a diverse group representing a wide spectrum of fitness needs. As people become more exercise savvy, many look for more than basic treadmills and weight machines to give them a “whole body” workout. They recognize the importance of a well-balanced workout, one that keeps them toned, fit and flexible.
Similar to the benefits accomplished with Yoga or Pilates, inversion equipment can help users improve flexibility, build core muscles and relax and reduce stress. However, the simplicity of use makes inversion equipment approachable and appealing to a greater cross-section of people. A regular program of inversion may help to:
♦ Reduce pain in overworked muscles: Athletes prone to stiffness or muscle spasms after a workout can benefit from the lymphatic wash provided by inversion. Intense muscle activities cause muscles to become sore. This is due to the build up of large amounts of lactic acid and cellular debris in the muscles. The faster this waste is cleared, the faster the stiffness in the muscles disappears.
♦ Provide balance and orientation training: The performance of inverted activities can be enhanced through inversion training. Inversion helps to develop balance awareness, which occurs when the upper regions of the inner ear are stimulated. Skydivers, gymnasts, springboard divers, and scuba divers find that inversion therapy fine-tunes the body and inner ear to the inverted world. Inversion therapy has also been used to normalize the ear canal as a treatment for motion sickness.
♦ Strengthen ligaments: Ligaments are fibrous, collagen-filled strips of tissue that hold your bones together. They are flexible but not very elastic, and can tear when they endure sudden strain or are stretched too far. Mobilization and gentle loading of ligaments can help to increase the collagen content of the tissue, which results in increased ligament strength. Inverted stretching and exercise provides gentle reverse loading and mobilization of the spine and weight-bearing joints, helping to strengthen the fibrous structure encasing these joints. Strong ligaments and muscles are vital for proper joint support.
♦ Increase flexibility and range of movement: Stretching while inverted maximizes effectiveness because it utilizes the users own body weight as well as eliminates any compression. The resulting traction lengthens muscles and increases separation of weight bearing joints thus improving circulation to the soft tissue of the joints, helping them to rejuvenate naturally.
♦ Reduce stress on body after a workout: Inversion decompresses joints, helping them to re-hydrate for better shock absorption and reduced pain. During a high impact workout, joints and especially discs, loose fluid resulting in a temporary height loss of .5 to .75 inches (1.3 to 1.9 cm). Inversion has been proven to increase intervertebral separation thus helping the discs to recover faster.
♦ Encourage muscle development: Thousands of destroyed cells need to be trucked away after every workout to make room for new growth. This happens through the lymph system, which circulates slowly, taking many hours to make one cycle. Inversion helps to stimulate lymph flow which speeds the removal of waste and allows the body to focus on building new muscle tissue. This equals faster recovery after a workout and quicker results.
♦ Build core muscles: Well-developed core muscles support the spine in proper alignment, helping to avoid injury and improve athletic performance. Unfortunately, most exercises designed to build core muscles must be performed with great technical accuracy or they can cause injury to the lumbar spine. Exercises such as sit-ups and crunches executed from the fully inverted position, plus back extensions performed with the hips parallel to the floor (while using the DEX) help to strengthen core muscles, without adding compressive loads to the spine.
♦ Enhance alignment and balance: Joints that are slightly out of alignment from overuse and misuse are helped to naturally realign with gentle stretching during decompression, resulting in better body symmetry and posture. When the body is balanced, it is more resilient to injury and able to perform at a higher, more efficient level.
“I looked around at all the various brands and talked to several people who owned them. After selecting what I thought were the top three tables, I went to look at the quality of each one to determine the best…
It has always been my experience that purchasing the best quality will ensure long and happy use of a product, so I wanted to make sure I was buying the best. You may spend a bit more, but it is well worth it in the long run. When I compared the three tables, there was absolutely no doubt in my mind as to which I was going to buy; the Hang Ups. The other brands were not only of lesser quality, but at 6′1″ and 210 pounds, I did not feel comfortable with their durability or sturdiness. The Hang Ups is a very solid and well-constructed piece of equipment that is easy to use. It also withstands the abuse my 25-year old athletic son gives it when doing exercises.
With the daily dose of glucosamine and using my inversion table, I have gone totally pain-free for the last three years. I could not be happier with my Hang Ups table and give it my highest recommendation over everything else on the market. And just in case you’re wondering whether to get the anti-gravity boots or not, trust me when I say it makes “hanging” so much more enjoyable and comfortable when you have the boots.”
C. Peterson
“I just wanted to let you know how much your inversion table helped me. I was in a car accident, had back pain, sciatic pain, headaches, neck pain, and breast surgery. I had tried everything to get rid of my tremendous pain: acupuncture, hot pads, massage therapy. Nothing helped….
Following my breast surgery, I had scar tissue. The doctors wanted to give me cortisone shots. I refused. Then they talked about back surgery. I bought the inversion table. Believe me: it’s the best purchase I ever did. It alleviated my neck pain, my back pain is gone, and I don’t need the surgery. Even the scar tissue disappeared. I bought a second inversion table, so I keep 1 at home and 1 in the office. I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANYBODY. IT’S A LIFE SAVER. LIFE IS WORTH LIVING NOW! IT’S A MIRACLE I’M ON MY FEET. Need I say more?”
M. Rolley
…And Help The Athlete To Recover Better
Nearly every activity involves some form of compression of the spine. The compressive effect of gravity is compounded by activities such as running, weightlifting, aerobics, skiing, biking, and golf, which can exact an incredible toll on the spine, discs, and back muscles.
If we perform our daily activities in the wrong way we can create skeletal misalignments. Most often these misalignments are nominal and will readily correct themselves given the opportunity. Inversion with movement (such as side-to-side bends, back arches, and a partial sit-up or two) provides that opportunity.
One-sided activities, like golf or tennis, can be particularly troublesome for the athlete for two reasons: The body will tend to over compensate for the strong-side muscle groups, pulling the spine out of alignment, and one-sided activities usually involve rotation of the spine, often under incredible loads. Inversion after physical activity may help to realign the spine and keep athletes performing at higher levels for longer periods of time.
Still other physical activities tend to create tension in the muscles due to a contraction of the major muscle groups for long periods of time. In-line skating, swimming, bicycling, windsurfing and rowing are examples of activities which tend to create a great deal of lower back strain. Athletes in these sports can receive a tremendous boost from the relaxing stretch of inversion therapy.
You May Be Wondering If Inversion Therapy Is Safe?
Of course, if all those benefits came with any significant risks, we would not recommend hanging upside down as a method of relieving back pain.
Please read the contra-indications list!
For many years, the biggest concern was that inversion therapy would increase the chance of stroke. However, Roger Teeter, one of the pioneers in this field, has found the following: “In 25 years, I have never seen a case - published or unpublished - where inversion caused a stroke”.
Sometimes users get worried about the red face they get when inverted. But this is actually a good thing because it indicates an increase in blood flow to the brain, eyes, skin and hair. As time goes on, you will get used to how different it feels when you are inverted. So if you are initially uncomfortable, either simply invert at a lesser angle or invert for a shorter period of time, until your body gets accustomed to inversion therapy.
Keep in mind that extensive research shows that inversion therapy is as safe as most daily activities. (Click on the links below for more information.)
The following study has shown to reduce the need for surgery of a trial group by 78%!
The following is a summary of various trials that have been done.
Please read the contra-indications list and if you are still not sure then please contact your Health Professional for advice.
What Inversion Table Do I Choose?
In the early days, around 400 BC, Hippocrates “the father of modern medicine”, used inversion to treat back pain by tightening the patient on a ladder with ropes and pulleys. Inversion therapy has come a long, long way in construction, comfort level and convenience since those early days.
We have done extensive research into finding the best inversion table/manufacturer to recommend to people who’d like to experience the benefits of inversion therapy at home at the same time that they are addressing the muscle imbalances that cause their back pain.
Our research concluded that here are currently no government regulations to effectively control the structural integrity or reliable function of inversion tables. The market is therefore subject to inconsistent or inferior product quality. With no way to quantify claims of safety, this term is commonly used without support.
So the question remains, what is safe? In an effort to answer this dilemma the manufacturer of the Inversion Table we recommend, hired an independent and non-biased engineering firm to compare and test the seven most widely distributed inversion tables.
Two pertinent evaluations were the Static Load Test and the Cycle Test, which examined overall durability and function of the units, the main factors pertaining to safety. While the tables are built to appear aesthetically similar, the Static Test (Chart A) revealed weaknesses in key structural components.
The standard for medical equipment is four-times the manufacturer’s maximum rated user weight. The Inversion Table we recommend surpassed this requirement by 20%. (The safety report)
In other words, an inversion table for reducing your back pain should be safe, sturdy, adjustable, durable and convenient for home use. It should adjust easily to a variety of inversion angles, including full inversion(completely upside down).
There Is ONLY One Inversion Table We Recommend…
The Inversion Table that we recommend has all of the above qualities. Not only is it the most sturdy, durable inversion table tested, it’s also the safest and easiest to use. Plus, it comes with a five-year warranty which is unheard of among other inversion table manufacturers.
But in our opinion, its most important feature is that it allows you to go back to full inversion if you choose. Many inversion tables don’t allow you to go in full inversion, which severely limits their usefulness for eliminating back pain. With this particular inversion table you get a laminated user manual and an instructional DVD showing step by step how to use it.
After identifying the best inversion table on the market, we contacted the manufacturer to set up special discount for our patients and subscribing members of RealBackPainRelief.org.
“Just want to pass on our comments to you regarding our pleasure with the Inversion Table purchased about 8 months ago. I had been experiencing pain from a crushed disc, and my wife had lower back pain on a regular basis…
After regular use, we both are now pain free. Thank you! We have now ordered a second Table for our son’s family and anticipate similar results in solving their pain problems as well”.
M. & B. Downes, Great Sutton
But before telling you about the special discount we negotiated, first have a look at what’s special about our recommended inversion table.
♦ Safety - Unlike other inversion tables, the Inversion Therapy System passed the rigorous safety testing of Underwriters Laboratories, an independent testing facility. This product is rated as safe for use as Medical Equipment in a Clinical Setting, where demands are more severe than in the typical household.
♦ Complete range of inversion angles - Unlike other inversion tables, the Inversion Therapy System table can invert you at a complete range of angles, from a slight downward tilt to a full upside down inversion. You control the angle you want, and you can change it instantaneously.
♦ Durability - Made of high-carbon steel, this inversion table is so strong and well-made that it carries a five-year warranty. In the manufacturer’s tests, it lasted 50,000 cycles without any structural damage, while the best competing table lasted only 14,000 cycles and the worst failed at just 288 cycles.
♦ Quick and easy to assemble - With one-quarter the number of separate parts as competing tables, the Inversion Therapy System assembles in less than five minutes. No need to be a mechanical genius to set it up!
♦ Adaptable - Anyone who has a height between 4′ 8″ and 6′ 6″ or weighs up to 300 pounds can use this inversion table.
♦ Convenient for home use - You don’t need a lot of floor space to keep your inversion table handy, since it folds easily for storage in a closet, in a corner or under a bed. In addition, you don’t need to wear any special kind of clothing to use it.
♦ Includes user guide and telephone support - The Inversion Table is extremely easy to use, and comes with a laminated, easy-to-follow printed user guide as well as a DVD illustrating its use in action. Not only that, if you have any questions about how to use it, or how to incorporate inversion therapy into your back pain program, simply call us and we’ll provide answers.
♦ Guaranteed - Try the inversion table for up to 30 days at home, and if it does not meet your expectations, ship it back for a full, 100% refund of the purchase price. You have nothing to lose but your back pain!
Special Discounted Price For Our Patients And Website Subscribers!
The recommended retail price of the complete Inversion Therapy System, including the super-durable inversion table, instructional DVD and printed user guide, is £267.
But because we deal with so many people day in and day out who are seeking relief from back pain, we were able to negotiate a £25 discount for you.
Your cost is just £242 for the best inversion table on the market. You won’t find a better deal than that anywhere!
Plus, we’ll even ship your inversion therapy system for FREE!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Non-patients and non-subscribers pay the normal retail price of £267 and a shipping fee of £15 will need to be included!
Click Here To Order
Your Inversion Table
Wishing You Freedom From Pain
Arjen Bootsma BSc(Hons) MCSP SRP(hpc)
Founder ChesterPhysio and The Healthy Spine Foundation
Medical Studies on Inversion Therapy
♦ Sheffield, F.: Adaptation of Tilt Table for Lumbar Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 45: 469-472, 1964.
175 patients who were unable to work due to back pain were treated. After eight inversion treatments, 155 patients were able to return to their jobs full time. Study concluded that the main basis for improvement was the stretching of paraspinal vertebral muscles and ligaments and possibly the widening of intravertebral discs.
Study found significant improvements in a variety of diagnosis including spondylolisthesis, herniated discs, lumbar osteoarthritis with sciatica, and coccygodynia. Patient experienced traction in a modified hip flexed position.
It is worth noting that previous to his use of inversion therapy, Dr. Sheffield regularly used mechanical traction with weights and pulleys. He considered inverted traction much more effective than mechanical traction.
♦ Nosse, L.: Inverted Spinal Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 59: 367-370, Aug 78.
Study found emg activity (an indicator of muscle pain) declined 35% within the first 10 seconds of inversion. Study found that inversion increases the spinal length. Study concluded there is a correlation between a reduction in emg activity and an increase in spinal length.
♦ Gianakopoulos, G, et al: Inversion Devices: Their Role in Producing Lumbar Distraction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 66: 100-102, Feb 85.
Study found all subjects experienced intravertebral separation in the lower lumbar vertebrae. Study concluded that although mechanical traction has been used for centuries, only gravity assisted traction (inversion) offers an effective means of achieving pelvic traction at home.
♦ Ballantyne, Byron, et al: The Effects of Inversion Traction on Spinal Column Configuration, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, and Perceived Discomfort. Jour of Orthopedic Sports Phys Ther. 254-260, Mar 86.
Study concluded that inversion can be an effective means of spinal traction. Subjects inverting in the hip flexed position experienced greater separation between the lumbar vertebrae.
♦ Kane, M, et al: Effects of Gravity-facilitated Traction on Intravertebral Dimensions of the Lumbar Spine. Jour of Orthopedic and Sports Phys Ther. 281-288, Mar 85.
Study found gravity-facilitated traction (inversion), produces significant intravertebral separation in lumbar spine. Study concluded gravity facilitated traction may be an effective modality in the relief of low back pain.
♦ Goldman, R, et al: The Effects of Oscillating Inversion on Systemic Blood Pressure, Pulse, Intraocular Pressure, and Central Retinal Arterial Pressure. The Physician and Sports Medicine. 13: 93-96, Mar 85.
Study concluded that full inversion using oscillation procedure presents no risk to normotensive healthy subjects.
♦ Dimberg, L, et al: Effects of gravity-facitliated traction of the lumbar spine in persons with chronic low back pain at the workplace.
116 people were enrolled in the randomized controlled trial which lasted for 12 months. A randomized controlled trial with two training groups and one control group was conducted to asses the effect of gravity inversion on pain level and absenteeism due to LBP. Average age = 44 years. 77% men
Group 1: used inversion for 10 minutes 1/day
Group 2: used inversion for 10 minutes 2/day
Group 3: control group
Results after 12 months of training program: 1. The employees in Group 1 and 2 decreased sick days due to back pain by 33%. 2. Average sick days to due back pain fell by 8 days per individual in the treated group. 3. “Inversion is an efficient and cheap way to improve employee health and possibly reduce sick day costs to the employer.”
♦ Nachemson, Alf, et al: Intravital Dynamic Pressure Measurements in Lumbar Discs. 1970.
Study measured internal disc pressure (in the 3rd lumbar disc) through a range of activities, including standing, sitting, bending and vertical and supine traction. The study suggests that a traction load of 60% body weight is sufficient to reduce the residual pressure of 25% standing body weight to zero.