Benefits
For Inversion Exercises (Also
known as Inversion Therapy)
Inversion
therapy helps build better backs and
also helps with the back pain.
Not
only can inversion therapy be used to
treat back pain, but it also can be
used as a method to reverse other
negative effects that gravity has on
your body. Inversion represents the
Quiet Side of Fitness, helping your
body to recover from the compressive
effects of gravity and daily
activities. Doctors, physical
therapists and sports trainers
recognize inversion as a safe and
effective form of therapy for the
spine and weight-bearing joints.
Whatever
your reason for inverting, Inversion
Equipment provides a safe and easy
method to turn your world upside down.
Activity
and exercise is the best long term
cure for back pain, joint stiffness
and immobility.
Back
pain is one of the most common
physical complaint in the world today.
An estimated 85% of all people face
some type of back problem in their
lifetime. We all subject our backs to
daily abuse such as heavy loads that
stress the muscles and bad posture
from sitting at a desk all day. But
authorities agree that you can help
avoid back problems by developing good
posture and doing regular exercises.
Exercise
to promote a healthy back will
increase circulation, provide better
joint movement, strengthen the main
supportive muscles of the back and
neck and provide spinal stability,
ultimately giving you increased
mobility. Performing symmetrical
exercises with proper posture will
train your body to keep good postural
balance throughout the day, and that
means reduced total loads and stress
on your body.
Most
doctors agree that the majority of
back problems are caused by stress,
strain and weak muscles. Each
of our products are unique, innovative
and have been developed by using
leading medical advisors from around
the world. Creating a healthy back is
one of the best things you can do for
yourself. It's the key to functional
mobility to being able to do things
you really want to in life.
Inversion
Can Help to Relieve Many Forms of Back
Pain
There
are many causes of back pain,
including poor posture, weak back and
stomach muscles, and muscles spasms to
name a few. Many of these causes can
actually be attributed to one force we
must all battle: gravity.
So how
can Inversion help you to relieve your
back pain? Quite simply, inversion
therapy puts gravity to work for you
by placing your body in line with the
downward force of gravity. Inversion
elongates the spine, increasing the
space between the vertebrae, which
relieves the pressure on discs,
ligaments and nerve roots. Less
pressure means less back pain.
Every
nerve root leaves the spine through an
opening between the vertebrae-the size
of this opening is largely controlled
by the height of the intravertebral
disc. Discs that are plump and
contained in their ligament
"wrappers" are necessary to
keep the nerve roots free of pressure
and your body free from pain.
Stress
and tension can cause muscle spasms in
the back, neck and shoulders, as well
as headaches and other problems. Tense
muscles produce spasms and pain by
reducing the supply of oxygen and by
reducing blood and lymph flow,
allowing the accumulation of waste
chemicals in the muscles.
Inverting
yourself to as little as 25° for even
a few minutes can help relax tense
muscles and speed the flow of
lymphatic fluids which flush out the
body's wastes and carry them to the
blood stream. The faster this waste is
cleared, and fresh supplies of oxygen
are introduced, the faster stiffness
and pain in the muscles can disappear.
A study conducted by physiotherapist
L.J. Nosse found that, "EMG (electromyographic)
activity, an indicator of muscle pain,
declined over 35% within ten seconds
of assuming the inverted position.
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. Let's face it-poor
posture is not only unhealthy, it's
unattractive.
Inversion
Helps Provide Care and Feeding for the
Discs
Your
discs have three jobs: to separate the
vertebrae, provide flexibility to the
spine and to act as shock absorbers.
Disc separation is especially
important since all communication
between the brain and the body is via
nerves that pass between each
vertebra. Insufficient distance
between the vertebrae can result in
nerve root pressure and pain.
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The
inner core of your discs is
made of jelly-like material
that provides the flexibility
and "cushioning" in
your back. When you are
sitting, standing, or
exercising, which I'll term
"weight-bearing
activities", fluid is
squeezed out of your discs and
into adjacent soft tissue
(just as you would squeeze
moisture out of a sponge). As
a result, your discs lose some
of their moisture and height.
To prove this fact, measure
yourself in the morning and
then again at night. You will
lose 1/2" to 3/4" in
height by the end of the day.
This lost fluid translates
into your discs loosing some
of their cushioning effect.
When
you are sleeping, "a
non-weight bearing
activity", your discs (or
"intravertebral
sponges") expand as they
soak up fluid and nutrients
and increase the length of
your spine by as much as
3/4". But you don't gain
the full height back,
accumulating to a total of
1/2" to 2" in height
throughout your lifetime.
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When
your discs are compressed and thinned,
your vertebrae potentially place more
pressure on these nerve roots. More
pressure equals more pain. As you
relax, your spine begins to stretch.
The space between each vertebra will
increase, thus decreasing the pressure
on the discs between each vertebra.
This encourages fluid movement back
into the disc, helping to keep your
discs plump and happy and decreasing
the pain in your back.
In
fact, the only time in your life when
you are giving your discs a break is
when you are inverting. See graph. The
medical study that generated this
graph measured the pressure inside the
3rd lumbar disc-it was assigned a
baseline pressure while standing of
100%. The study reported that even
when you are lying down, the disc
pressure remained at 25%. The hundreds
of ligaments and muscles that encase
and mobilize the spine act like a
bunch of rubber bands holding the
spine in compression equal to 25% of
standing body weight. Inverting to 60°
is necessary to reduce the disc
pressure to zero. Inverting is the
most effective posture that allows
your discs to recover from the
constant pressure placed on them
during your daily activities.
Relieves
Varicose Veins:
When inverting, you are helping your
heart to clear the blood from your
feet, legs, and lower body. This
allows the blood in your limbs to
circulate more easily, which may help
to drain blood from varicose veins.
Inversion
Helps to Relieve Stress
Your
body will let you know when you are
stressed out-back and neck pain,
headaches and muscle tension is your
body's way of protesting against
stress and forcing you to slow down.
If
nothing else, Inversion is a great way
to take a break and relax. The full
body stretch can be rejuvenating and
can also help to reduce muscle
tension. A study conducted by
physiotherapist LJ Nose found that EMG
activity (a measure of muscle tension)
declined over 35% within ten seconds
of inverting. Inversion, therefore, is
helpful in relieving tension and pain
in your muscles that may have been
caused by stress.
In
fact, for centuries yoga practitioners
have recognized the concept of turning
the body upside down to find
relaxation. The head stand position is
a form of "postural
exchange" (reversing the
direction of gravity). Not everyone
wants to do headstands, so inversion
on Hang Ups equipment creates an
easier alternative with the added
benefit of joint decompression.
Inversion
Helps Improve Circulation and
Accelerates the Cleansing of Blood and
Lymph Fluids
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.
Unlike
the cardiovascular system, the
lymphatic system has no pump. Only the
alternate contraction and relaxation
of muscles moves lymphatic fluid
"uphill" through capillaries
and one-way valves to the upper chest
for cleansing. Inverting the body so
that gravity works with, not against,
these one-way valves helps to push the
lactic fluid up to the chest. The
faster the lymphatic system is cleared
the faster the ache and pain of stiff
muscles disappears.
Inversion
Helps Increase Oxygen Flow to the
Brain
Your
heart must work against gravity to
pump blood up to your brain, which is
the body's largest consumer of oxygen.
Although it is only three percent of
the body's total weight, the brain
consumes 25 percent of the body's
oxygen intake.
Win
Wenger, in How to Increase Your
Intelligence, noted that "only
those brain cells which are close to
an ample capillary blood supply are
thoroughly developed. Away from such
source of supply, brain cells remain
undeveloped and useless." Wenger
describes "upside down
activities" to increase oxygen
supply to the brain. He states,
"In short, you can much improve
the physical state of your entire
brain." A brain that is better
nourished simply works better.
Some
people claim that increasing the
circulation of blood to the head
through inversion may also improve the
color and tone of your skin, stimulate
mental alertness, and improve hearing
and vision. In addition, some claim
that hair will be healthier, and may
even grow again, if the scalp is well
supplied with blood.
Inversion
Helps Reduce the Effects of Aging
Caused by the Force of Gravity
Most
people will lose from 1/2" -
2" (1-5 cm) in height during
their lifetime due to thinning discs.
As a baby, your discs are 90% water.
However, the water content in the
discs decreases to 70% by age 70. An
active inversion program can help
maintain more of your original height.
"Decongests"
Internal Organs:
As the body ages, internal organs
(kidneys, stomach, intestines) begin
to prolapse as a result of the
constant downward force of gravity.
"Middle-age spread" (that
spare tire around the waste), apart
from weight gain, is due to the
relocation of internal organs.
Digestion and waste elimination
problems are also common symptoms of
organs going south. Inversion helps
prolapsed organs resume their normal
shape and place in the body.
Increases
Oxygen to the Brain:
Peter Russell notes in The Brain Book
that the deterioration of the brain is
not directly linked to age alone.
Rather, this deterioration is caused
by hardening arteries and high blood
pressure, both of which decrease the
supply of oxygen to the brain. Thus a
major step in reducing mental
deterioration (or senility) over time
may simply be increasing the oxygen
supply to the brain. Keeping the brain
active and well supplied with oxygen
may help maintain your brain function
and mental sharpness throughout your
entire life. (NOTE: If you have high
blood pressure, consult your physician
before starting an inversion program.)
Inversion
Enables the Body to Stretch and
Re-Align
Nearly
every physical 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.
One-sided
activities can be particularly
troublesome for the athlete for two
reasons: The body will tend to over
compensate for the strong-side muscle
groups, pulling the spine out of
alignment, and one-sided activities
usually involve rotation of the spine,
often under incredible loads. Examples
of these activities are golf, water
skiing, tennis, bowling, racquetball,
and baseball. Inversion after physical
activity may help to realign the spine
and keep athletes performing at higher
levels for longer periods of time.
Still
other physical activities tend to
create tension in the muscles due to a
contraction of the major muscle groups
for long periods of time. In-line
skating, swimming, bicycling,
windsurfing and rowing are examples of
activities which tend to create a
great deal of lower back strain.
Athletes in these sports can receive a
tremendous boost from daily inversion
therapy.
Inversion
Reduces Pain in Overworked Muscles
Athletes
prone to stiffness or muscle spasms
after a workout can benefit from the
lymphatic wash provided by inversion.
Intense muscle activities cause
muscles to become sore. This is due to
the build up of large amounts of
lactic acid and cellular debris in the
muscles. The faster this waste is
cleared, the faster the stiffness in
the muscles disappears.
Inversion
Provides Balance and Orientation
Training
The
performance of inverted activities can
be enhanced through inversion
training. Inversion helps to develop
balance awareness, which occurs when
the upper regions of the inner ear are
stimulated. Skydivers, gymnasts,
springboard divers, and scuba divers
find that inversion therapy fine-tunes
the body and inner ear to the inverted
world. Inversion therapy has also been
used to normalize the ear canal as a
treatment for motion sickness.
Inversion
Strengthens Ligaments
Ligaments
are the fibrous strips that hold your
bones together. Ligaments are flexible
but not very elastic, and can tear
when they are stretched too much. The
gentle reverse loading and movement
that occurs while you invert
strengthens ligaments and connective
tissue, and helps to protect the
athlete from serious injury. Ligaments
that are not moved regularly in the
right way become stiff, inelastic and
more easily torn.
A
Final Thought
The
constant pull of gravity is the most
powerful force your body will see
during your lifetime. Inversion offers
a system of stretching and light
exercise that helps to slow or reverse
the harmful, compression of the body
by gravity. Used sensibly, inversion
is extremely beneficial, and no more
dangerous than many other popular and
widely practiced fitness activities.
Sometimes there's an explanation for
why inversion works and sometimes
there isn't.
The
experience of thousands of people who
invert regularly is that it gives them
the relief from back pain they've been
looking for. Just as important, they
gain the rejuvenating effects of
inversion on the entire body,
providing health benefits far beyond
the relief of back pain.
Always consult
with your doctor before using any of
the fitness products. |
