# Inversion table therapy **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 16, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inversion-table-therapy/326496 "2005-10-16T19:01:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bzwilak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@bzwilak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bzwilak)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inversion-table-therapy/326496/1 "2005-10-16T19:01:13Z")
Does use of an inversion table _truly_ relieve back pain and decompress spinal discs? What other (if any) positive real effects can they have on the body? ---
**Author:** ![LadyMack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@LadyMack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadyMack)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inversion-table-therapy/326496/2 "2005-10-17T05:58:46Z")
IANAD and don’t want to be one when I grow up. The only regret I have about my inversion table, is that I don’t have room to keep it set up at all times. It has been very helpful for circulation problems, unkinking the kinks (heh), and stretching things that were too tight…😉 If the popping and cracking sounds are any indication, it’s doing something helpful. Or harmful. Either way, it feels great. I’d melt into a puddle on the floor afterwards, if I wasn’t clamped into the danged thing. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inversion-table-therapy/326496/3 "2005-10-17T12:19:36Z")
Lots of people, including good physical therapists, promote them. It makes logical sense that, if the discs gain fluid and grow back into shape overnight due to reduced loading on the spine, they will also do it more quickly on an inversion table. Inversion therapy wasn’t the magic bullet I needed to avoid surgery this past summer, but then neither were several other mainstream methods they tried. It didn’t hurt, and probably helped, and I want to do more of it. If the tables were free I’d have one - and at $300 or so I should probably spring for one anyway. I did find the method somewhat helpful. ---
**Author:** ![bzwilak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@bzwilak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bzwilak)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inversion-table-therapy/326496/4 "2005-10-19T04:37:02Z")
Does anyone know if inversion table therapy is beneficial to relieving and healing sciatica??