Inversion tables have been widely recognized as the best solution to a problem that affects over half of the US population; back pain. Back pain exists for many reasons but usually back pain is caused by a combination of factors over the course of time. The most common causes can be attributed to gravity, weak core muscles, and bad flexibility. Because this is such a widespread problem, the amount of potential customers is rather large. This problem and solution can often be outside of the normal fitness arena and spark business from consumers who may not be in the market for traditional strength and cardio pieces. With this type of potential business available, a quality representation of inversion therapy with a knowledgeable sales staff is essential for all fitness retailers.

 

 

Understanding the Problem

 

How does gravity cause back pain? When you are in an upright or seated position, as most people are throughout the day, gravity is constantly pulling down on your entire upper body, the effect on the back is the constant compression of the discs between your back vertebrae. These discs are essentially shocks for your back providing flexibility and cushioning. Most people will find that they are up to ½” shorter at the end of the day compared to when they wake up. That is a substantial amount of compression. The centers of these discs have fluids in them helping them to maintain vertebrae spacing and flexibility. During the day when the discs are compressed they lose some of this fluid, during times of non-compression this fluid is absorbed back into the discs. The pain comes into play when these discs compress they then put pressure on the nerves coming out of the spinal column. 

 

The only natural help your body has for these discs to fight the effects of gravity are your core muscles. The abdominal and back muscles will help support the spinal column and eliminate some of the effects of spinal compression. The weaker these muscles are, the less help they provide, leading to more compression and more issues.

 

A Solution

 

Inversion therapy reverses the effect gravity has on your body and instead of compressing the discs, inversion therapy will actually decompress the discs. Spinal decompression has an immediate benefit of alleviating pain caused by compression. Spinal decompression also has a long term benefit of allowing the fluids lost throughout the day to be absorbed back quickly and fully by the disc giving them longer durability. 

 

 

The Products

 

The two most popular pieces of equipment for inversion therapy are inversion tables and inversion (or gravity) boots. Both pieces are designed to use gravity to decompress the spine. In addition to spinal decompression both pieces of equipment also put the user in a great position to perform abdominal crunches and oblique twists to strengthen core muscles and improve flexibility which will help support the spine and slow down disc compression. 

 

Gravity boots are great products that allow for spinal decompression and core strengthening. Some users may find that they are difficult to use. To engage gravity boots, the user must grab the bar they will hang from, hoist there feet up over their head and lock the boots onto the bar. When you are done, you must then bring your arms up to the bar, unlock your feet and release. If you are in good physical condition and flexible then this is not difficult, but many people with back issues are not of this exercise level, and may find gravity boots difficult if not impossible to use.

 

Much easier to use than gravity boots, inversion tables allow users to comfortably secure themselves in the machine in an upright position. This is usually accomplished by securing your feet into a mechanism with a few easy adjustments. Once secured, the user can then invert at their own pace by using the side handle bars found on most inversion tables. In fact when used properly, (using the correct height adjustment found on most inversion tables) a user can simply raise their arms over their head and this shift in weight will cause the table to invert. 

 

Most inversion tables also have the ability to go from partially to fully inverted which can be more comfortable for some users or extend the amount of time they can spend inverted. Inversion tables also have good back support which helps reduce the amount of weight your ankles will have to hold unlike gravity boots. Easy to use and extremely effective, inversion tables are the superior piece of equipment for anyone looking to alleviate back pain, strengthen core muscles, and prevent future back pain.

 

While the customer may come in looking for this initial help for their back problem, the long term plan, if their condition will allow it, should include a program to strengthen the core muscles so make sure you keep that customer in your follow up file for their future needs.