Are inversion tables worth a sh1t?

[Phreezer]

Are inversion tables worth a sh1t?

I have a history of buldged discs L-3 and L-4. I have a gym friend who is a physical therapist. He's recommended that I try using an inversion table. He says that I should not hang completely upside down (as that could cause problems with my hips) but rather I should hang at about a 45 degree angle (head below my feet). He said I should spend about 15-20 minutes a day doing this.

Do you think this is worth trying. I've done cortizone shots and PT in the past for my back and it got a little better but it has never gone completely away and the doctor doesn't think a discectomy(sp) would benefit me anymore than physical therapy.

Any tips or tricks when it comes to dealing with chronic lower back pain? Is the inversion table worth a shot?

 

[Grizzly]

I've always thought those would be good, too. Except I figured just gravity boots and holding on to some DB's

 

[TenMan]

I have a history of buldged discs L-3 and L-4. I have a gym friend who is a physical therapist. He's recommended that I try using an inversion table. He says that I should not hang completely upside down (as that could cause problems with my hips) but rather I should hang at about a 45 degree angle (head below my feet). He said I should spend about 15-20 minutes a day doing this.

Do you think this is worth trying. I've done cortizone shots and PT in the past for my back and it got a little better but it has never gone completely away and the doctor doesn't think a discectomy(sp) would benefit me anymore than physical therapy.

Any tips or tricks when it comes to dealing with chronic lower back pain? Is the inversion table worth a shot?

This doesn't add much, but IMO anything is worth a shot just short of surgery. Save that for your last option

TenMan

 

[Phreezer]

I've always thought those would be good, too. Except I figured just gravity boots and holding on to some DB's

My physical therapist friend says those should be avoided by people with sciatica lower back pain. He says hanging completely upside down like that cause the hips to get off balance and can make the muscle spasms worse. That's why he said you should lay with your head at about 45 degrees below your hips so your body slowly lengthens out and decompresses the spine. He says it works but he wants me to come in and do physical therapy with him too... IT's helped in the past but it's not a permanant fix and nothing makes the pain go completely away.

I tried going to a chiropractor. I did three sessions and never went back. The first time I wen he was very friendly and talked to me and worked on me for about 25 minutes. The next two times I saw him he just spent about three minutes doing adjustments and then immediatly went on to the next patient and did the same to them. He had me lay in a machine that was kind of like a mechanical reverse hyper that moved on it's own. I felt like I was just being rushed in and rushed out so I couldn't see paying this guy to pop my back and then have me do lazy man's reveres hypers. Hell I can do all that shit at home.. why pay this guy my insurance co pay and let him bill my insurance company $50 on top of my $20 deductable.

I haven't had an MRI on my back in atleast two years so maybe I need to get another MRI done... I just want to be able to compete in strongman or even train without back pain. Some pain I can live with.. that's just part of this life style but daily pain.. sometimes it makes me want to quit altogether. I'm looking at trying GH, inversion tables and going back to PT to get better. if this doesn't work I think I'm just going to get skinny and become a professional eliptical machine rider (my knees are too shitty for jogging.. lol)

 

[Vicious Cycle]

http://www.querycat.com/faq/149e16b1341f538c2f179422d5318c22

 

[lottalead]

i have 2 compressed discs ---only bothers me when i pull on large rocks
then it hurts from my ass to my knee for 3-4 days
gravity boots can screw up your hips??????
i spent a few years where i would sleep in them lol,just becuase it always stretched my back back to normal . i think i am gonna go dig em out
i am glad i read this cuz i forgot i even had them.\
good luck phreezer----oh phreezer i think you should try the spinal decompression-----when i was getting my neck straightened i talked to a couple people doing it who said it was fantastic

 

[Trenaholic]

Let me tell you bro inversion tables are a god send i went through 4 straight months of physical therapy and being all doped up on pain killers and i still could walk or work out, i bought the table for 250$ and within 2 weeks i had an amazing turn around, i told my physical therapist i wont be coming back, i get on mine for 20 mins every nite now, but i was ding 30 mins am and 30 mins pm and it was a world of difference for me, work up in your legnth of time slow and it will be a godsend. I have a ruptured hurniated disk at l3, and the vertabrae is crushing the siatic never ont he rt side of my body and causing it to swell around the hole in the pelvis that i goes through, believe me i was screwed but against my doctors order i went and bought it and utilized it and im back in the gym training hard as ever.

Trenaholic

 

[Eleven11]

Phreezer I just bought a Teeter hang up invertion table and I like it a lot. Ive only had it a wk and the streatch it gives me is great. You know I broke my femor near my hip but I don't feel anything in that area.
Just a good streatch in my back.
You dont have to go completly upsidedown to get a good streatch either, 60% will give a good streatch.
The thing was $300 but you can try it out for 30days for $14 then pay the rest if you like it, Im keeping mine...............11