Inversion therapy

Inversion therapy uses a table that pivots so you can tilt backward, up to fully upside down on some models, while your ankles are secured in place. The idea is that flipping the usual direction of gravity on the spine takes pressure off the discs between vertebrae and stretches the muscles along the back, which some people find eases a stiff or achy lower back after sitting or standing for long stretches.

Home inversion tables usually let you set the maximum angle rather than forcing a full flip right away, and most guidance recommends starting at a shallow angle, perhaps 20 to 30 degrees, for a short session before working up to a steeper tilt as your body adjusts. A back stretcher or a simpler tilting bench is a lower intensity alternative for people who want some spinal decompression without a full inversion table.

Inversion raises blood pressure in the head and eyes while inverted, so it is not appropriate for people with high blood pressure, glaucoma, a heart condition, or who are pregnant, and anyone with a back condition should get medical advice before using one rather than assuming it is safe for every type of back pain. Coming back to upright slowly, rather than snapping back quickly, helps avoid dizziness.