Inversion Chair Therapy: Everything You Need To Know
If you’re reading this, you must have heard about the benefits of inversion therapy, particularly how it can help significantly reduce your back pain, neck pain, improve posture, and many other inversion therapy benefits. You’ve probably also heard about using an inversion table as its one of the most popular equipment for inversion therapy. But have you heard about an inversion chair? Did you know that you can alternatively use an inversion chair for back pain, neck pain, and even knee joint pain? Well, probably not, which is why this article discusses everything you need to know about an inversion chair therapy.
What is an Inversion Chair?
Also known as an inversion therapy chair, an inversion chair is a specialized chair that is specially designed to invert at a specific angle. An inversion chair basically works in a similar way as an inversion table, only that you essentially place your head below your feet in a seated position. All you have to do is sit and enjoy the incredible benefits of being in an inverted position. Unlike an inversion table, inversion allowed by an inversion therapy chair is not as extreme as that provided by an inversion table.
One of the main reasons why some people prefer using an inversion chair instead of an inversion therapy table is because inversion chairs allow people with joint and ankle problems to safely invert while eliminating the issues. So if you’ve been having problems with your ankles or joints, you should consider using an inversion chair.
How Does an Inversion Chair Work?
As stated earlier, an inversion therapy chair works in a similar way as an inversion table. The only difference is that with an inversion chair, you hang upside down while seated while with an inversion table, you invert while in an upright position.
How an inversion chair works is pretty easy. When many people started complaining about joint pain in the knees, ankles, and hips while using inversion tables, some major brands decided to build a revised design of the inversion table, and the revised edition in the form of an inversion chair was developed.
In an inversion chair, you begin inverting while in a seated position with a strap firmly holding you in the chair to prevent you from falling. Once you’re strapped onto the chair, you lean your body backwards, and the inversion chair will slowly turn upside down. Some chairs allow users to adjust the inversion angle, so you can either choose a full or your preferred inversion degree.
Who Can Benefit from an Inversion Chair?
Although most people prefer using an inversion table, there is a group of people who find using an inversion chair better. This group of people mainly consists of people with ankle, knee, or hip problems, people who find inversion chairs more comfortable compared to inversion tables.
People with ankle, knee, and hip problems often find it hard to invert on an inversion table as the resistance and pressure created during inversion often causes more strain and pain. The good thing about hanging upside down in an inversion chair allows you to achieve the same traction as an inversion table without putting excessive strain on your knee, ankle, and hip. Additionally, it’s much more comfortable to invert on since all you have to do is sit down and invert without straining.
Is an Inversion Chair Good for Lower Back Pain and Neck Pain?
Absolutely yes. Using an inversion chair is one of the best ways to get relief from lower back pain and neck pain. When you hang in an upside down position using an inversion table, your previously compressed spine becomes decompressed, and this allows for increased circulation along the spinal column, leading to a reduction of lower back pain, muscle aches and stress, as well as fatigue. As some of the best inversion chairs allow you to invert at an angle of up to 70 degrees, the result is maximum gravity traction at your lower lumbar region which provides maximum benefits.
The chair also works perfectly to relieve neck pain. If you’re experiencing pain in the neck or fatigue, inverting in an inversion therapy chair for neck pain can be an excellent solution.
So whether you’re suffering from lower back pain, don’t hesitate to use an inversion chair.
What are the Benefits of Using an Inversion Chair?
There are numerous benefits of using an inversion chair. Whether you’re suffering from lower back pain or neck pain, an inversion chair gives you countless benefits without straining too much. The benefits include:
- Relieves lower back and neck pain
Most pain medications often have some nasty side-effects especially after long-term use. The good thing about inversion therapy is that it’s all natural- no side-effects whatsoever. All you have to do is hang in an upside position and the resulting spinal decompression and muscle relaxation will significantly reduce muscle aches and pain. An inversion chair is therefore an excellent natural solution for back pain and neck pain.
You can use an inversion chair alongside the best heating pad to relieve back and neck pain. Check out the Best Heating Pad for lower back and neck pain reviews.
- Increased Relaxation
We all love relaxing after a hard, long day at work. While having a nap can give you some relaxation, inverting on an inversion chair can not only relax your body, but can also eliminate any muscle aches and stress you may have. By increasing blood flow and lymph flow, every muscle in your body is able to relax. Additionally, you can effectively eliminate stress, anxiety, and depression through inversion therapy.
- Suitable for People with Joint Problems
When inverting on an inversion table, a lot of pressure is exerted on your joints. Therefore, if you’ve been having trouble with your knees, ankles, or hips, using an inversion table can increase pain, not to mention increasing the risk of injuries in these areas.
Luckily, an inversion chair is much more suitable for people with knee, ankle, and hip joints since less pressure and strain is exerted. In addition to an inversion table, if you’ve also been experiencing pain in the hip and sacroiliac joint area, using a sacroiliac belt can help a great deal. Check out the Best Sacroiliac Belt for Si Joint Pain here.
- Beneficial for Numerous Health Conditions
An inversion chair is not only beneficial for relieving back pain and neck pain. It also helps improve posture, increase mobility after spinal decompression, promotes better body waste removal by the lymphatic system as there is an improvement in circulation, suitable for sciatica and herniated disc, and has even been found to promote hair growth due to increased blood circulation.
- Relieves Muscle Tension and Spasms
Are you constantly experiencing muscle tension and spasms, then using an inversion chair can be an excellent solution for muscle spasms and tension. You can use an inversion chair to relieve muscle spasms and tension especially after lengthy workouts.
- Improves Spinal Health
The theory is that when you hang upside down on an inversion chair, the space between your spinal discs is improved and pressure is relieved. Usually, daily activities like sitting, bending, and running can put excessive pressure on your spinal discs, and this pressure often increases your risk of developing lower back pain, collapsed vertebrae, and a wide range of complications. That’s why inversion chair therapy is quite effective in improving spine’s function and its health.
- Increases Body Flexibility
Just like with exercise, inversion therapy helps improve the flexibility of your body. This is because as you invert on a regular basis, your spine becomes stronger and stronger and is decompressed, allowing for free body movements. That’s not all. By decompressing your spine, inversion therapy also improves your posture
- Reduces the need for Surgery
Most people with back-related problems such as lower back pain, lumbar, and others often consider surgery to alleviate their conditions. But this study shows that incorporating inversion therapy may potentially prevent disability and reduced mobility in people with back problems.
Another study published in Disability and Rehabilitation found that inversion therapy reduced the need for surgery in patients with lumbar discogenic disease, which is a spinal condition that causes the spinal discs in the back to become significantly weak and thin.
- Helps Relieve Stress
Performing inversion therapy with an inversion chair takes pressure off your spine, triggers the relaxation response of the parasympathetic nervous system, and also helps regulate the pineal and pituitary glands, which all lead to a reduction in stress, anxiety, as well as depression. Additionally, inverting helps promote good blood circulation in the body, which promotes good overall health.
What are the Risks of Using an Inversion Inversion Chair?
You cannot use an inversion chair if you have any of the following conditions:
- High blood pressure
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Glaucoma and eye-related conditions
- Ear problems
- Pregnancy
It’s important that you consult with your doctor before using this inversion device to avoid complications.
How to Use an Inversion Chair?
Using an inversion chair is pretty easy. Here is a video that will show you just how to do it:
Wrapping It Up
We all know that pain medications come with potential side-effects, especially when used for a very long time. They aren’t cheap either. Inversion therapy using the best inversion chair is a safe, natural way to get relief from back pain. It also eliminates the need for surgery. The good thing about inversion therapy is that it doesn’t just cure your back pain- it also alleviates a number of conditions.
A few minutes of inversion can help a great deal in reducing your back pain and improving your overall health. So go ahead and try it!