Disclaimer
I am not a doctor and nothing stated here is to be construed as medical advice. Information here is for educational purposes only. Use at your own risk.
Background
Now that is out of the way let’s get down to it. I have had back pain for many years and, although I have so far avoided surgery, I have seriously considered it on multiple occasions. One of the major options I have used to alleviate back pain has been the use of an inversion table. The table works great and I get relief with the traction and reduced pressure on my discs.
Unfortunately, I have found it to be nearly impossible to get off the inversion table without re-experiencing the pain. It seems as soon as I tilt upright the pain either immediately returns or returns when I bend over to release the foot locking mechanism.
I don’t recommend any specific brand but various inversion table options are available here
The Solution
The answer to this conundrum is actually quite simple, DO NOT TILT BACK TO FULL UPRIGHT!
This will take some experimentation at home with what you have available. What I have managed to do is slide a stool under the head of the inversion table while I am still on it and horizontal. I will then slide off the top of the inversion table and onto a nearby sofa. BE CAREFUL! You can fall off and injure yourself while trying to do this. Pre-plan your “escape” before you ever get on the inversion table.
You may be asking about the foot lock. I lock it into a position that allows me to just barely slide my feet out to the side while still holding the feet when they are in the middle. Again, experiment with the proper adjustment before getting on the inversion table.
My method
My method is: Set foot holder to allow feet to slide out, place stool next to the head of the inversion table, locate sofa off the top of the head of the inversion table. After inverting for as long as I desire, I will go to horizontal position and twist to the side to grab the stool and slide it under the head of the table. At this point I slide my feet out of the foot holder and slide my body toward the (now supported by stool) head of the inversion table. The stool holds the weight and prevents the head of the table from dropping. I then roll over in place while still on the inversion table and horizonal. Now I slide off the head of the table and onto the sofa. When my body leaves the head of the inversion table it will drop back to the upright position. My table has a rubber stopper that prevents any loud noise or damage.
At this point I will usually already have placed an ice pack on the sofa to lay on while I read or watch TV for at least 1 hour before even attempting to get up. The absolute best results are obtained if you use your bed instead of the sofa and simply go to bed for the night without ever getting upright after leaving the inversion table. On occasion I have crawled to bed from the sofa rather than walk and risk re-injury.
Well, that’s really all there is to it. You may find another way that suits your situation better but the basic concept will always be: Do not stand up or in any way re-compress your back (or bring the inversion table to full upright) immediately after relieving the pressure on a sore back.
This method has kept me away from neurosurgeons for over 10 years now. Relief is nearly immediate and has been long lived in my case. Your results, obviously, may vary.
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