# Equipment for hanging upside-down? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819 "2003-11-07T03:01:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/1 "2003-11-07T03:01:27Z")
Hi, Over the years I’ve heard of some equipment that lets you hang partially or fully upside-down. They’d usually involve a kind of rack that rotates. One “Deuce Bigallo” there were special boots and a bar that were used to hang upside down. Hanging upside-down seems like a good way to upcompress your spine (though using it might be dangerous…) In order to search for equipment though I need to know what it is called… does anyone know what those kinds of things are called? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/2 "2003-11-07T04:04:14Z")
Gravity Boots ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/3 "2003-11-07T04:07:32Z")
BTW, my providing an answer to this question does not constitute an endorsement of the alleged therapeutic benefits of said devices. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/4 "2003-11-07T04:07:32Z")
BTW, my providing the correct answer to this question does not constitute an endorsement of the alleged therapeutic benefits of said devices. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/5 "2003-11-07T04:19:06Z")
Please note that I had second thoughts about the “correct answer” assertion, and tried to be more modest. But even though I used preview, the hamsters messed me up again. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Skwerl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Skwerl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skwerl)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/6 "2003-11-07T04:22:40Z")
I’ve tried using gravity boots, but I can’t do it for more than a minute or so because the bloods rushes to my head and I feel like I’ll pass out or something. I might be a freak, but it could be something to consider. It does feel good though at first. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/7 "2003-11-07T04:50:28Z")
Thanks! After searching for “gravity boots” I’ve also found some related things like “inversion therapy” and “inversion tables”. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/8 "2003-11-07T08:25:34Z")
“Hang-Ups” is the brand name of my inversion table. Got mine at a local sporting goods shop. They can be helpful with back issues, but inversion’s not right or safe for everyone - check with your doctor. If your doc OKs it, start slowly. Don’t just flop upside down in one move. Most tables let you invert slowly so your circulation and head have a chance to adjust. ---
**Author:** ![ReaverPryde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@ReaverPryde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReaverPryde)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/9 "2003-11-07T08:32:43Z")
My mom bought an inversion table a few months ago, and it totally fixed her back problems. If you want to uncompress your spine, I know some cool exercises that involve yoga balls. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/equipment-for-hanging-upside-down/211819/10 "2003-11-07T08:58:16Z")
Gravity boots and inversion table–that way you can go over in increments don’t have to hang upside down although you can. Find a gym that has this equipment and join it. The stuff takes up a lot of room. It does feel great, though. Merely getting the boots and the bar don’t take up a lot of room, but as pointed out, you can’t do that for very long and you’re completely upside down. It’s not as good a stretch, and you can actually strain your back getting out of the position. I would go with the yoga balls. Cheaper and take up much less space. Don’t ever set your cat down on one, though.