What are people's experience with Inversion tables?

@jeffkboyce, I had an inexpensive inversion table that my wife and I used for awhile but it was too hard for me to raise back upright when I inverted to more than 45 degrees. I purchased a Teeter FitForm and a FreeStep Cross Trainer to help build up my core strength and it is helping me but I still have problems with my lower back. It's not really painful but it feels I have a lot of pressure around the lower back and it prevents me from being able to do much walking and makes it harder to stand for any length of time. I have been looking at the Teeter FitSpine inversion table and really think it can help relieve pressure on in the spine and lower back areas.

How has your experience been so far with the inversion table? Have you seen or used any of the videos for the inversion table? -- https://teeter.com/videos/inversion-tables/

The videos are awesome thanks. I have the new model (just received) it really seems to help. The tingling goes away and it provides some relief. My mom and dad swear by it so I am going to keep using the device.

A follow up from this thread - I used the device for a couple of months and while it did help ... I ended up with bilateral ingunial hernias. It is a great device but there are clearly risks - even though my core is strong the pulling was too much for it I suppose.

Wow, that's good to know, thank you for the fu. My husband has one, but I've been afraid to even try as I didn't think I could tolerate and get back up. I will have to tell him to be very careful!

Most definitely- I have a strong core but I was doing a lot at the same time. So it’s not the table entirely but it was the straw that ‘tore’ the abdomen. And I think doing the table for too long. I was also told you need to be warmed up before you get on it.

I was reading here somewhat about inversion therapy, and see that it may not be good for people with high blood pressure. My pressure is extremely high. Well anyway, I have a bad hip which gives me a lot of pain. So I was wondering if anyone here has tried inversion therapy for hip pain. (Anyway.) After I read about an inversion table in a brochure my husband gets, I decided I'd try to stretch my leg. So last night I "stretched" my body using the headboard, and keeping my leg in the same position while lying down. I think (not sure yet) it helped. But now I'm wondering if anyone has tried stretching their legs for hip pain, and how.

Hi @cindiwass, if your blood pressure is super high, I would definitely consult your physician before following through with full inversion. I would read above to see the side effects that some members experienced.

You will see that I have moved your comment to a discussion about inversion tables so that you can connect with people who have tried it like @bill54321, @jeffkboyce, and @johnbishop.

Can you explain how you modified it by using your bed's headboard, I am not sure I can envision what you did?

I know that teeter definitely suggests to not invert with high blood pressure. You could try zero gravity or a really gentle setting and have someone check your pressure while you are on the table. It naturally raises blood pressure and everything rushes to your head. So if you already are high talk to your doctor. I decided to just throw mine away - I am sitting on the couch literally right now day 2 post op of bilateral hernia surgery from the thing. Not saying inversion is bad but unfortunately some of us just can’t invert.

https://teeter.com/blog/faq-items/who-should-use-it/

@cindiwass I used to have an inversion table until I had cervical spine surgery that included a fusion. If I recall correctly, the paper work that came with it noted not to use it with high blood pressure and to consult a physician.