Inversion and its benefits

	Invertrac counters the degenerative effects of gravity.
	Invertrac allows for the benefits of spinal decompression without trauma to ankle, knee, or hip joints.
	Natural traction occurs in the lower back when subject is in bent leg position. The lumbar curve is flattened allowing this to more readily occur.
	Invertrac helps eliminate stress and tension by stretching spine and back muscles allowing complete relaxation.
	Circulation is greatly enhanced through inversion.
	Invertrac is lightweight, portable and comfortable.

THE INVERSION TRACTION CONCEPT

The effects of gravity on the human form are reversed by hanging inverted on the Invertrac unit. Tension on the spine is relieved and vertebrae are separated, easing pressure on the discs. If a disc has slipped, (herniated) instant relief from pain may occur by releasing the "pinch" of the nerve when it returns to its normal position. Displaced vertebrae, (the cause of back pain) are realigned and muscle spasms are reduced. Invertrac may not only instantly relieve back ailments, but may aid in chronic spinal difficulties.
Copyright © 1997

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 for a few minutes a day 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 its proper form (a gentle "s" curve). A regular program of inversion can help you to maintain proper posture and keep your body in balance.

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.

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, “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.

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.
 

“Inversion Benefits Summary courtesy of STL International, Inc.”

The daily practice of inversion sessions on the Invertrac^® can be the key to a longer, healthier and more productive life. Using gravity to our advantage only makes good sense.