Inversion Can Help to Relieve Many Forms of Back and Neck Pain
There are many causes of back pain, including poor posture, weak back and stomach muscles, and misalignments to name a few. Many of these causes can actually be attributed to one force we must all battle: gravity.
Inversion therapy puts gravity to work for you by placing your body in line with the downward force of gravity. Using your own body weight as a natural form of traction, inversion elongates the spine by increasing the space between the vertebrae, relieving the pressure on discs, ligaments and nerve roots. Less pressure means less back pain.
Inversion can also help to encourage good posture. When inverted, your body is in line with gravity. Your spine wants to naturally go to it proper form (a gentle “s” curve). A regular program of inversion can help you to maintain proper posture and keep your body in balance. Poor posture is not only unhealthy, it’s unattractive.
Train Core Muscle Groups without Loading the Spine
Core muscles – the muscles providing support for the torso (abdominals, internal and external obliques, and lower back muscles) – are responsible for the maintenance of posture, efficiency in movement and transfer of power in the body.
Weak abdominal muscles allow you to slump forward, making you more vulnerable to misalignments and injury. Well-developed core muscles improve performance in athletic activities as well as with day-to-day activities, supporting the spine in proper alignment to avoid injury. Strong abdominal muscles support the spine by increasing internal pressure (similar to using a back support when lifting heavy objects) to help relieve the load on the discs in the spinal column.
Recover from High Impact Workouts
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.
Inversion Helps to Stimulate Circulation
The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, veins, arteries, and capillaries. It is your body’s transportation system, carrying food and oxygen to your body’s cells. Your heart pumps blood through the system: oxygen-rich blood from the lungs goes out through the arteries and waste-filled blood comes back through the veins to be cleansed and recharged with oxygen.
The cardiovascular system also retrieves blood from your legs and lower torso, carrying it upwards against the force of gravity. Inversion allows your body to work with gravity to ease the circulation process.
Inversion Helps to Achieve Functional Fitness
A person can only achieve functional fitness (the ability to remain flexible and active throughout a lifetime) by incorporating every element of fitness into their lifestyle: cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility. Inversion can be utilized as an simple, effective method to achieve each essential element of fitness:
Cardiovascular: The simple act of inverting the body can actually help to stimulate circulation, resulting in a mild, even relaxing, cardiovascular workout. Strength: More active inversion allows people to add strength training (crunches, sit-ups, extensions, etc) with no loads to the spine. Flexibility: Passive inversion can help to maintain flexibility of the joints and spine, encouraging good posture and properly hydrating the discs between each vertebrae. This element of fitness is rarely addressed with the equipment offered at most gyms, and is often overlooked as an important part of a complete workout.
Get Fit,
Michael Cole