# FITNESS and NUTRITION FORUM > INJURIES, REHAB & SPA >  Inversion table for herniated disk - how to use

## jg42058p

How often should I be using an inversion table for my herniated disk? How long do I use it for? Herniated the L5S1

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## 73mustang

I had that exact injury... Not sure about the table, but I had surgery on mine (disc laminectomy)
And I knew as soon as I woke up it was better.. Wow, what a great feeling after a year of incredible pain.
Have you had the surgery? Are you planning on it ? 
If not, consider having it done, fairly simple procedure, with huge benefit... Gl man :Wink:

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## greenwell001

> I had that exact injury... Not sure about the table, but I had surgery on mine (disc laminectomy)
> And I knew as soon as I woke up it was better.. Wow, what a great feeling after a year of incredible pain.
> Have you had the surgery? Are you planning on it ? 
> If not, consider having it done, fairly simple procedure, with huge benefit... Gl man


 No,no,no....surgery last resort. I have one and love it. I don't have a herniated disk but have djd in my l5s1. I use mine about twice a week and u don't have to go fully vertical to get benifits. I.sometimes do though for more of.a muscle stretch in the lats. If you already got def use it.

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## yannick35

look into prolotherapy too

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## 73mustang

Depending on the severity, this can take a year or longer to heal ... If it's a bad blowout it never will and surgery is the only way it's gonna get better. Get a ct or MRI and consult a neurologist. I've been a paramedic for 23 years... What do I know, I haven't seen many of these at all ><

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## Times Roman

> How often should I be using an inversion table for my herniated disk? How long do I use it for? Herniated the L5S1


You use it as often as you feel appropriate. I've had one for over ten years. Be advised that true verticle is not ideal. A gradual slope utilizing a gentle rocking motion is quite often the only thing needed to find relief. 

In theory, you could be on your table all day if that is what gives you relief.

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## lovbyts

Ill tell you how NOT to use it. 
I had surgery on L3 & L4 in 2005 after fighting it since 1985 until it got to where I could not walk or stand for more than 10 min at a time. Surgery was 99.5% success. I felt GREAT for the most part. Only problem was due to other issues and being lazy I was out of shape and 40 lbs over weight. I still did a lot of things that caused stress on my back and it was not strong enough for so eventually it got more and more sore.

2007 after a series of vacation and other activities that had been putting a lot of stress on my lower back it was exceptionally sore one night and I woke up around 3am due to the discomfort. I had an inversion table but used it rarely and never properly. I decided to hang on it for a while. I was on it less than 1 minute and decided to do some inverted situps since I'm a guy and always have to prove to myself I still can. POP. I literally hear my back pop and felt this rush of pain and numbness run down my legs even though i was hanging up side down.

I put myself upright and soon realized it was going to be no easy task to bend over and unhook my feet from the inversion table. It was all I could do to not pass out in the process and had to try 3x before I get my feet released and collapsed on the floor. The next thing I did was pretty smart. I managed to make my way to the kitchen and got a ice pack and laid on it for about 30 minutes. This helped a little but all the blood must have drained from my brain because the next move was not so smart. I decided to get into the hot tub. I immediately almost passed out due to pain and almost didnt make it out.

I called my mom to come get me around 8am to take me to my back doctor who had done the surgery but I could not manage myself to get out of the car after laying flat and just had her drive next door to the ER. That was my 2nd biggest mistake. Waste of time and I'm still pissed over the whole deal. Morons... I managed to get to my doctors the next day. I could not stand more than 15 - 20 seconds at a time and had to drop to the floor for several minutes before passing out from pain. 

I had surgery 10 days later and have been at about 90% or a little less since then but it's still 1000% better than before surgery.

So short story is DONT do anything to stress the back. Use Ice on it for 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off at least 3x in a row and 3x a day. Ice is your best friend. Dont use heat and avoid and stress to it until you can build up the strength slowly.

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## ds53

After fighting a "bad back" for 30 yrs and almost ending up in a wheel chair with both feet dropped and severe damage to my left leg. I had used chiropractors, accupuncture, steroids injections in the herniated disk ect.. I finally went to a neurosurgeon and started the procedures to get the disk fixed. It took 10 months to finally have the surgery. Now 15 months later I have use of my feet (I can actually run again) and 70% of the pain is gone. I stayed in as good of shape as I could prior to surgery via weights and recumbent bike and only missed 5 total days of work. At least go to surgeon and get the process started you can always walk away from it, but im going to tell you that the injury will only get worse if you keep ignoring it and you will end up disabled, possibly a paraplegic.

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## fit2bOld

I have an inversion table got it for herniation at L4 L5 S1. Helped when hanging in it but had surgery, disk laminectomy. Was in severe pain in the legs was the best thing ever....

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## Far from massive

I would be skeptical of using an inversion table for a newly herniated disc. When traction is used in treatment of hernited discs it is only after determination that there are no other conditions that could cause instability to the region, like a hairline fracture of a vertabrae etc. Also the back is stabilized on the table and the harness attached around the pelvis so that the angle of pull, pressure, duration between tension and pause etc. can be adjusted. 

Keep in mind ligaments are like bubble gum. That is you can pull them apart rapidly and they are very hard to tear, whereas a slow steady pull will separate or stretch them no problem.

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## lovbyts

> After fighting a "bad back" for 30 yrs and almost ending up in a wheel chair with both feet dropped and severe damage to my left leg. I had used chiropractors, accupuncture, steroids injections in the herniated disk ect.. I finally went to a neurosurgeon and started the procedures to get the disk fixed. It took 10 months to finally have the surgery. Now 15 months later I have use of my feet (I can actually run again) and 70% of the pain is gone. I stayed in as good of shape as I could prior to surgery via weights and recumbent bike and only missed 5 total days of work. At least go to surgeon and get the process started you can always walk away from it, but im going to tell you that the injury will only get worse if you keep ignoring it and you will end up disabled, possibly a paraplegic.





> I have an inversion table got it for herniation at L4 L5 S1. Helped when hanging in it but had surgery, disk laminectomy. Was in severe pain in the legs was the best thing ever....


Sounds like we are on the same page as far as injury and cure.

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## Remington

> A gradual slope utilizing a gentle rocking motion is quite often the only thing needed to find relief.


Interesting.
I read something about this somewhere.
Care to give some more insight?
Thanks!

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## langston07

I to was thinking on getting a table. After 2 years of military doctors telling me I was to young to have surgery (20-22) I had a microdiscektomy on my L4L5 L5S1. Come to find out my nerve was completely collapsed and I still after 8 months from surgery have pain in my butt and down my right leg. Was looking to get a table for more relief off of the spine. As I am deploying next year n trying to get back in shape besides from probably never running again I want leg pain relief. As I don't want anymore cortisone shots in my back or tailbone(ash crack)

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## Times Roman

the cool thing about the tables is that quite often they fold up and can be stored in small places, like under a bed if enough clearence.

true, you have to be careful with them, and any "one size fits all" technique needs to be scrutinized closely. But if you have alignment issues, strained muscles, or even mild disc compression problems, the table can be quite helpful.

as always, check with your doctor blah blah blah....

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## Brifyinutly1963

Ironman iControl 600 Weight Extended Disk Brake System Inversion Table is latest inversion table of 2015...It has a stretching bar which is included for users who want to fully stretch their back muscles.It works very well and has really helped back problems. Glad I went a little extra, the brake system is so much more convenient.

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## tcw

Actually, I've used just about every known device for healing my disc. Had a Harvard Surgeon want to cut me open so bad---he had a hard on. 

BUT, i found a Dr. with a Traction table, and within 1 week, i was healed (or the pain was gone i should say). I MUST ADMIT, of all the injuries I've suffered over the past 30+ years of lifting, "a herniate disc" is one of the WORST types of injuries I've had. I'm talking bed ridden for weeks. Let just hope i don't have other ones on that level (knock on wood).

I'm hearing some pretty bad stories from Buds my age who train (former pro athletes an amateurs). Some of the chit I'm hearing is horrible.

Oh well, i can't imagine what my father and grandfathers generation had to endure when they got hurt. (oh yeah...i think gramps told me they just shot some of them AS A FAVOR to them---to relieve them of their pain.....LOL).



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