The benefits of inversion therapy are even more pronounced for active people than they are for the general population. Physical activity has its own set of challenges and can create problems that inversion therapy is uniquely suited to solve.Spinal compression and misalignment can be a result of any physical activity. These injuries are capable of causing back and neck pain that can be treated by enabling stretching the spine and causing it to realign itself.
Spinal compression is caused by gravity compounded by activities that call for high muscle exertion, such as the pounding involved in running and aerobics, and weightlifting, which can take a staggering toll on the spine. Other troublesome activities are golf and tennis because muscle groups tend to get over-developed on the dominate hand side and tend to cause the spine to sublux.
Activities like this result in incredible loads of muscular pressure and exertion; usually involve twisting the spine because they tend to be one-sided and unbalanced. While other physical activities tend to create muscle tension due to the contraction and expansion of major muscles for extended periods of time, similar to movements used in bicycling and rowing.
Even everyday activities, if performed using improper techniques, such as lifting and bending can cause misalignment of the spine. Spinal misalignment or subluxation, as they are known in the chiropractic world, can be treated with the use of inversion therapy.
Inversion therapy benefits include:
- Reduced back pain
- Relieving stress
- Stimulating lymphatic processes
- Improved posture
- Reduced muscle tension
- Strengthening ligaments
- Increased flexibility
- Reducing the aging process
Inversion therapy improves the circulation of lymph flow, promoting the removal of bodily waste more rapidly, allowing the body to concentrate on building new muscular tissue. Athletes, who are prone to stiffness, muscle spasms and soreness post workout can experience great benefits from a lymphatic wash stimulated by using the inversion table. Intense muscle activities can result in muscle cramps and soreness, which are caused by an upsurge of carbon dioxide and lactic acid buildup. The more quickly this waste is eliminated, the faster the soreness and stiffness disappear.
Temporary height deficiency of up to 0.5" - 0.75” can occur amidst a high-impact workout when the joints and discs will experience fluid loss causing the space between the vertebrae to decrease. It has been proven that inversion improves vertebra separation, by reducing the disc pressure and helps the spaces fill up with fluid. Decompressed vertebrae are able to heal more quickly making stronger shock absorbers that experience a reduction in pain.
Inversion also aids the strengthening of ligaments, which are collagen-filled strips of fibrous tissue needed for holding your bones in place. Ligaments are malleable with limited elasticity, and can be damaged when they are subjected to sudden strain or over extension. Movement and gentle ligament stretching can help to augment the amounts of collagen in the tissue, resulting in stronger ligaments.
Stretching on an inversion table offers mild reverse loading and gentle mobilization of the vertebra helping to bolster the fibrous composition covering the joints. An athlete is protected from injury when well-built muscular systems are in place.
Finally, the steady gravitational pull has the most damaging effect throughout the body, including the spinal column and joints; but using an inversion therapy table can greatly reduce these effects. It is as safe as many other prevalent rehabilitation therapies, however, there is some risk involved and people with circulatory disorders or heart problems should get clearance from a health professional before beginning a regular inversion therapy routine.
A healthy spinal column is the information highway for the entire body passing messages to and from the nerve center of the brain. People who integrate inversion therapy into their daily routine claim that it provides them the reprieve from back pain with added rejuvenation benefits on the whole body, far beyond the easing of back pain including better flexibility and reduced stress.