Teeter Hang Ups Inversion Table Contraindications

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Using an inversion table is like any new physical activity. If you are not careful it is easy to over do it. That is why we recommend starting at a very mild angle (your head only 6-8 inches lower than your feet) with the safety strap attached. Please review the contraindications and check with your physician if you have any health questions concerning inversion therapy.

In this excellent video Roger Teeter the manufacturer of Teeter Inversion Tables discusses
the safety of inversion therapy. This is part 2 of the video. To see part 1 please click here.

Please Read - We have been selling inversion tables since 1980.
If used conservatively inversion therapy is very very safe!
If used conservatively inversion therapy is very very safe!
If used conservatively inversion therapy is very very safe!

The beauty of using a Teeter Hang Ups Inversion table is you can start out at horizontal, the same position as the bed you sleep in a night. Once this feels comfortable you can increase the angle very slowly, one degree at a time. Taking inversion slowly like this causes very little stress on the body. You can set the safety strap before you even get on the table so you will know exactly where you will stop.

Please Note

In rare instances back pain is a symptom of a serious medical condition. Even medical doctors sometimes make this mistake. Please be aware. We know of a case where a man was being medicated for back pain for more than a year. It turned out his pain had nothing to do with his back but was kidney related.

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Is Inversion Therapy Safe?

For many years, the biggest concern was that inversion therapy would increase the chance of stroke. However, according to Roger Teeter, one of the pioneers in this field, "In 25 years, I have never seen a case – published or unpublished – where inversion caused a stroke."
Some users get concerned because their face gets red when they are inverted. But this is actually a good thing because it indicates that blood flow to the brain, eyes, skin and hair is increasing. Over time, you get used to how different it feels when you are inverted. If you are uncomfortable, simply invert at a lesser angle or for a shorter period of time until your body gets accustomed to inversion.
If you have high blood pressure, heart disease or an eye condition, or if you have had fusion surgery, you should check with your doctor before inverting. Keep in mind that extensive research shows that inversion therapy is as safe as most daily activities.

Glaucoma Pregnancy Hiatal hernia Ventral hernia Detached retina Extreme obesity Middle ear infection Arterial hypertension Severe vascular disease Anti-Coagulants (use of) Conjunctivitis - (pink eye) Bone weakness, recent fractures History of congestive heart failure History of space-occupying brain lesion Vulnerable areas of stress from recent surgery See the Goldman Study	These and any other medical conditions that would limit normal physical activity may be contraindications for inversion therapy. It would be prudent to consult with your medical doctor. Keep in mind that with the safety strap attached it is possible to lay on the table at a very mild slant board angle that may be no more stressful than laying down in bed.
	This is not an exhaustive list. It is intended only for your reference. Please use good judgment and check with you doctor if you have any questions.
	Please read more information on this page than just the list of contraindications. If you do you will gain a greater understanding of how safe inversion therapy can be if done properly.
Does inversion cause stroke? In the 30+ years that inversion therapy has been used by the general population there has not been one single reported case of stroke or cardiovascular incident related to inversion. "The risk of stroke appears to be exaggerated. One may be at greater risk of s stroke during strenuous weight training or severe anxiety in the upright posture." (Goldman,R. dt al., The Physician and Sports Medicine. Mar 85) As always, however, individuals with high blood pressure should check with their physician. Please read High Blood Pressure below.

Why do some doctors advise against inversion therapy?

For centuries traction had been one of the primary doctor prescribed therapies for back problems. Recently pain medication and surgical treatments became popular. Even though traction was recommended for centuries sometimes modern doctors will advise against inversion therapy. It has been our experience that one of the main reasons they advise against inversion is because they do not understand that the user has total control over the angle of incline and extreme angles that may concern the physician are not recommended nor are they usually necessary for achieving great benefits. What some doctors need to realize is that a person can set the table for horizontal or any mild degree of incline. When very mild angles are used the stresses on the body are minimal and any risks are reduced. We have heard from people over the years who avoided inversion therapy because their doctors did not understand the potential benefits. Some of these people found a different doctor who did understand how much benefit could be achieved with as little as 15-20 minutes a day of mild inversion and rhythmic intermittent traction. This is achieved easily with the inversion table by creating a rocking motion. Some doctors contraindicate inversion therapy for very good reasons. In some cases they have not taken the time to study this simple therapy that has brought pain relief and a better quality of life to hundreds of thousands of people.

We know that inversion was used at least as early as 400 B.C., when Hippocrates, the father of medicine, first watched a patient have his knees and ankles tied to a ladder to be hoisted upside down for a dose of what has come to be known as inversion therapy. Fore more information see:
Inversion Therapy A Natural Approach To Correcting Back Problems

Contraindications Inversion therapy can provide innumerable benefits to your health. Inversion can relieve back pain, decompress the spine, stretch muscles and ligaments, relieve stress, improve circulation and help maintain overall good health. However, inversion is not for everyone. If you have any of the following health conditions, please do not invert without your licensed physician's approval (this is not an exhaustive list - it is intended only for your reference.) Anti-Coagulants (Use of): Blood-thinning drugs or aspirin to reduce clotting of the arteries and blood vessels. The use of anti-cogulants signals people at risk for circulatory problems. Advise speaking with a physician before inverting. Bone weakness, recent fractures, skeletal implants: Having a person's weight pulling down when inverted may exacerbate these conditions. Osteoporosis is a calcium deficiency disease in which the bones become porous, brittle, and very weak. Advise speaking with a physician before inverting. Conjunctivitis - (Pink eye): An inflammation of the transparent membrane that covers the front surface of the eyeball and the inner surface of the eyelids caused by bacterial or viral infection. Advise speaking with a physician before inverting. Glaucoma: A condition of elevated pressure within the eye because of an obstruction of the outflow of the clear, watery fluid circulating in the chambers of the eye. The resulting pressure (which is imperceptible without an eye exam) kills cells in the optic nerve, which can lead to a gradual loss of vision. Anyone with an eye condition should speak with a physician before inverting. Heart / circulatory disorders: Any condition involving the circulatory system. Speak with a physician before inverting. Hiatal hernia, ventral hernia: A hiatal hernia occurs when intra-abdominal pressure increases cause a portion of the stomach to move into the chest cavity through a weakness in the diaphragm. A ventral hernia develops at the site of previous surgery, usually along vertical incisions. It may also result from weakness in the abdominal wall. Advise speaking with a physician before inverting. Middle ear infection: The middle ear helps equalize air pressure in the ear. A person may feel discomfort or disorientation during inversion. Advise speaking with a physician before inverting. Obesity (extreme): In some people obesity can be associated with the undetected onset of many of the circulatory and eye problems mentioned above. The weight capacity of each of the inversion products should not be exceeded. Pregnancy: Pregnant women should exercise caution when inverting. Advisable to talk with physician first. Retinal detachment: A separation of the retina, the thin, delicate membrane covering the rear portion of the eye, from the optic nerve. Usually results from a hole in the retina that allows the vitreous humor fluid to leak. Treatment is almost always surgical. A retinal hemorrhage, in most cases, can heal by itself. Anyone with an eye condition should speak with a physician before inverting. Spinal injury: Any severe spinal cord trauma requires a person to consult their physician before inverting. Stroke: Occurs when a blood vessel in the neck or brain becomes blocked or when a vessel in the brain bursts open. Symptoms include paralysis, difficulty speaking, memory loss, and impaired thought processes. Transient ischemic attack: Often called a "ministroke," a TIA occurs when the blood supply is temporarily interrupted to a part of the brain due to a blockage. Often precedes the onset of a full stroke, and requires immediate action.
Inversion Therapy and High Blood Pressure See the Goldman Study and Conmplete Care Center Findings
High blood pressure, hypertension: A common disorder in which the heart is pumping blood through the circulatory system with a force greater than that required for normal blood flow. An elevated blood pressure which exceeds 140/90. It is true that certain people should not invert if they have uncontrolled high blood pressure. However, inversion can cause a state of relaxation that results in a drop in heart rate and BP (sometimes even lower than at a resting state). Some doctors have used inversion as a treatment for high BP. Advise speaking with a physician before inverting. Doctors who use inversion will test a patient's BP as they do a mild inversion. If your blood pressure is under control, using an inversion table in a conservative manner starting our slowly and at a mild angle is considered quite safe by those of us who have worked in the inversion field for many years. The Teeter Hang Ups inversion tables have a safety tether strap so you will safely stop before going over too far. The stress reduction afforded by the stretch and circulatory stimulation of inversion therapy as well as pain reduction MAY go a long way to reduce stress induced high blood pressure.
If your blood pressure medication includes diuretics (water pills) you may want to read Grapes and Raisins

Grapes and Raisins

Discs are soft, rubbery pads between the hard bones (vertebrae) of the spinal column. When they are young and healthy, discs are plump with water, which keeps them hydrated and they have the perfect consistency to work as shock absorbers for the vertebrae. They also act to maintain the space between the vertebrae so the nerves are not impinged upon. Over time the daily stress of gravity, sitting, twisting and the process of aging may dry them out like grapes turned into raisins. This is called desiccation. This disc desiccation or drying out can be reversed and the disc can be rehydrated.
As discs deteriorate, their tough outer shell weakens. One swing on the tennis court or lifting in the wrong way can burst the interior gel through the caseing, like jelly squishing out of a doughnut.

vertebrae are separated allowing the discs to regain their form and function. After the pressure is taken off the nerve there can be a rocking motion added to the inversion therapy.
The rocking motion creates an accordion like pumping action that helps to hydrate and increase the fluid circulation to the discs. It creates a compression and expansion. One of the reasons discs degenerate and don't regenerate well is due to the passive nature of the fluid flow to the discs. They are not vasuclarized like a kidney. The fluid flow to and from the disc is based on body movement such as walking and breathing. The rocking motion on the table facilitates this fluid flow as good or better than perhaps any other activity.

The result is the infamous herniated disc (also referred to as ruptured or slipped disc).
When a disc bulges against one of the two sciatic nerves, which run from the spinal cord down the legs, the pain can be excruciating. This bulge can also take place in the cervical area which affects the neck, shoulders, arms and hands.
Inversion therapy adresses the duel function of the discs, their ability to act as shock absorber and spacer. With mild inversion the

Disc Desiccation and Diuretics for High Blood Pressure - Water Pills

We have no way to verify this scientifically, however, we have been working in the field of back problems and inversion therapy since 1980 and in the medical field before that and it has been our observation that there may be a correlation between diuretic therapy and disc problems. Long term use of diuretics to help control high blood pressure may contribute to disc desiccation which is described above. Most people who have disc problems may have one or two compressed, herniated or ruptured discs. We have found people who have disc problems and who are on diuretics seem to be more likely to have 3-4 or even more compressed discs than the person who is not on diuretics. Also when we hear someone has sciatica on both sides, this is often a sign to us they maybe on diuretics. When people tell us they have 5 compressed discs and we ask if they are on diuretics, we are not surprised to hear that they are. They are surprised when we ask them the question because they had never made the correlation before. We have even spoken with nephrologists (kidney and blood pressure specialist) and they had never made the correlation either but believe there maybe be a causal relationship.
To our knowledge we are the first to make this observation.