1. How long should I invert?
This is probably the most commonly asked question about inversion. The answer really varies with different people. For the most part, we recommend beginners to start slowly: It is very easy to pull a muscle or nerve in the back by overdoing it. At slight angles there is little risk. Once you get to a point where your head is more than a foot or so below your feet you are achieving a strong degree of traction. Once you reach 45 degrees you are at a point that is stronger traction than you would achieve in a hospital. The angle of inversion also affects the length of inversion time that is comfortable. The shallower the angle, the longer the time. Most people will invert for 10 - 20 minutes once or twice a day. There is no real time limit. The important thing is to listen to your body and under do it rather than over do it. If you are at all uncomfortable, simply return upright slowly, resting in the horizontal position before coming all the way up.
Virtually all issues of discomfort that occur with new invertees are due to going too far, too fast. You are wonderfully designed to be upside down, but if you are like most people, the last time you hung upside down you were a little kid. Just ease into inversion gradually. Increasing the angle of incline only as you feel comfortable.
2. Does inversion cause strokes / popped blood vessels?
A medical study published in 1983 by Dr. Goldman and colleagues showed that inverted patients experienced an increase in blood pressure and internal eye pressure. The media widely reported the study, warning that stroke was a potential result of inversion.
Two years following the inversion study, Dr. Goldman reversed his original position, stating, "New research shows that you are at no more of a stroke risk hanging upside down than if you are exercising right side up." More in-depth research found that the body actually has mechanisms that prevent damage from hanging upside down. In fact, while oscillating (inverting with movement), some of the patients' blood pressure actually dropped a few points. (*Note: these studies were based on patients in generally good health. Make sure you review contraindications prior to inverting.)
Dr. Goldman stated that the warnings to the public about the dangers of inversion were "grossly inflated" and that "in the 15 years these devices have been in use, there has not been one single stroke case reported, nor any serious injuries." (This statement, to the best of our knowledge, is as true today as when Dr. Goldman made it 17 years ago).
Other universities, including Marquette, Iowa, and Portland studied inversion during this time, with results that also helped to vindicate Inversion as a healthy physical activity.
3. Why do I feel so much pressure in my head - is it normal to turn red?
This is very normal and is actually good for you, indicating increased blood flow to the brain, eyes, skin and hair. One preliminary study showed that the brain runs 7% faster and 14% more accurate while inverted! The feeling of pressure usually lessens over time as you become accustomed to inverting.
If you are a beginner and are uncomfortable with this feeling, it is OK to come up and rest a while. This is referred to as "intermittent" traction (alternating inversion with being upright) and is a good way to help get used to the inverted world. You can also try "oscillation" which is a rhythmic rocking back and forth.
4. How do I focus on the lower back / upper back / neck region?
Inversion is a natural form of gravity-assisted traction. This means that the amount of traction applied to various locations of the body is exactly the right amount! Every vertebra and related disc is just the right size to support the weight above it. The large discs in the lower back are the right size to support the 60% body weight that is above them. The small discs in the neck are just the right size to support the weight of the head. When inverted, the weight normally supported is just the right weight to apply traction.
Gentle stretching and exercise is beneficial to help decompress and mobilize the spine:
Lower back
You may perform gentle stretching exercises to help move the muscles and connective tissues in the lower back area. In partial inversion, try rotating gently from side-to-side, or slowly rocking your pelvis forward and backward.
If you have worked up to full inversion, abdominal exercises (sit-ups, crunches) can be beneficial to the lower back, since strong abdominal muscles are key for proper posture. On the inversion tables, you can try a gentle back extension by placing your hands behind your head on the bed frame and pushing your body in an arch away from the table. On the DEX, you can perform partial to full back extensions (like reverse sit-ups), strengthening the muscles in your lower back.
Upper back
Many people experience upper back pain as a result of stress and muscle tension. The key to relieving this pain is to totally relax while inverting. Try deep breathing exercises. Also, partner work can be beneficial-nothing is more relaxing than an inverted back and shoulder massage!
Movement is also very beneficial. Try rounding your shoulders forward and pushing them back. Also, stretch one arm at a time across your torso to extend those upper back muscles.
Neck
Again, movement can be beneficial. Try rotating your head from one side to the other. Partner massages to the base of the head and back of the neck are very relaxing (do not apply pressure to the front of the neck). You can also add gentle inverted traction to your neck by resting your arms behind your head at the base of your skull (don't pull, just add the weight of your arms).
5. What exercises do you recommend while inverted?
Gentle stretching can be performed while partially inverted by crossing one arm over your body, gripping the opposite side of the bottom of the mainframe You can also arch the torso from side to side to loosen muscles and to help the mid- and lower spine to stretch.
Similarly, stress in the neck can be relieved by gently rotating the head to either side, plus lifting the head. Do not sit up, only lift the head.
Only perform these exercises when you are comfortable with being fully inverted. Do not overdue it-as with any exercise to which your body is unaccustomed, you may experience sore muscles if you do too much too fast.
Inverted crunches: Place your hands on your chest or behind your head and lift your torso half way to your knees.
Vertical Situps: This is the only way to perform a full sit-up that is safe for your back. Your spine is in line with gravity, so the full sit-up does not place harmful loads on the back. Place your hands behind your head or on your chest. Sit up all the way to your knees. You may need to place your hands behind your knees to help pull yourself up to a full sit up. Some people claim that 1 full inverted sit-up is as difficult as 10 regular sit-ups (without the strain on your back!)
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS NOT TO OVERDUE IT. INVERSION IS NOT A "NO PAIN, NO GAIN" SITUATION. AS SOON AS YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH, STOP!
THE STRETCHING OF MUSCLES, LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, NERVES ETC. IS MUCH STRONGER THAN YOU REALIZE WHEN YOU ARE DOING IT ON THE GRAVITY TABLE.
YOU MAY NOT REALIZE YOU OVER STRETCHED UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING WHEN YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF BED DUE TO A PULLED MUSCLE IN YOUR NECK OR BACK.
6. I feel some aching in my back when I return upright from inverting. Is this normal?
There could be several causes for this. One cause could be that you did too much too soon. If you are new to inversion, your body is not used to being inverted. By inverting too much too soon, you are probably going to be a little sore. You can liken inversion to beginning any new exercise program. If you over-do it on the first day, you will probably pay for it later!
You returned upright too fast: When inverted, your vertebrae have a chance to separate and the discs can decompress. This action reduces pressure on the nerves that run through your spinal column. When you ascend (return upright) on the inversion table, your spine "re-compresses"-the vertebrae return to their normal position and the pressure on the discs increases again. If you come up from inversion too fast, you might place sudden pressure on the nerves that run through the spine, which can cause some pain. Come up slowly, allowing your lower back to gradually adjust to the changes.
Always keep in mind that if you experience extreme pain, or if you always experience pain while inverting, you should discontinue inversion until you have had a chance to talk with your doctor.
7. Is the inverting detrimental if you should have heart disease or high blood pressure?
It is true that people should not invert if they have uncontrolled high blood pressure. However, inversion can cause a state of relaxation that results in a drop in heart rate and BP (sometimes even lower than at a resting state). Some doctors have used inversion as a treatment for high BP. If you have concerns, you should check with your doctor before inverting.
8. Will inversion therapy help with a bulged disc?
When inverted, the natural pull of gravity allows a separation of your vertebrae, which lessens the pressure on the discs in between each vertebrae. The action of increasing the space margins between the vertebrae can actually create a mild suction in the disc, which may help encourage the bulged disc return to its proper place.
The main benefits are realized by increased circulation and waste elimination to injured discs. In the opinion of many medical professionals, several sessions of intermittent traction are the best way to help the body dissolve a bulged disc.
The length of healing time will vary with different people.
9. Will inversion help with headaches or migraines?
Some people have found that inverting on a regular basis can actually help reduce the frequency of migraine occurrences. However, we do not have any medical studies to specifically back this claim. I would advise not to invert if you are in the middle of experiencing a migraine, as it could potentially worsen your headache.
10. Will inversion therapy help with draining blood from the lower limbs?
When inverted, you are helping your heart move venous blood from your legs and torso to the heart and lungs to be purified. Inversion also helps to move fresh, oxygen rich blood from your heart and lungs to your upper body and brain.
When a muscle contracts, this squeezes capillaries and slows removal of wastes from the muscle. Sustained muscle contraction due to stress or cramping causes wastes to accumulate in the tissue and this produces pain. What inversion does for muscles is two-fold: first, it stretches and relaxes them; second, gravity helps the lymph system to clear out the pain-producing toxins trapped in the tensed muscles.
By stimulating circulation, inversion has been known to relieve varicose veins. Varicose veins are caused when blood pools in the veins due to weakened one-way valves. The downward pull of gravity causes blood to slip back, and over time the vein will distend and become painful. When inverting, the pressure is relieved and the heart is able to clear the blood from the lower body.
