Can Inversion Tables Help Scoliosis?
Inversion therapy uses special tables and equipment to hang patients upside down, applying gentle traction to the spine. Inversion therapy can be used to treat back pain from a variety of conditions, including scoliosis. Inversion therapy can also help realign and straighten the spine in some scoliosis patients.
Effects of Inversion Therapy
When you are inverted on an inversion table, your spine elongates and the force of gravity on your weight applies a gentle traction to your spine. This reduces pressure on the discs and opens up the space between your vertebrae. Eased pressure on your discs also reduces the pressure on your nerves, which can help relieve back pain. Inversion can also help improve posture and help realign the spine.
Inversion for Scoliosis
Spinal scoliosis refers to a side-to-side curvature in the spine, often diagnosed in childhood. Inversion therapy can help reduce pain in scoliosis patients caused by pressure on the discs from the unnatural placement of the vertebrae. Inversion tables allow the back to stretch and may help realign displaced vertebrae. In general, the sooner inversion therapy is started in children with scoliosis, the higher the likelihood that they will experience improvement in their condition. The bones fully harden by the time a child is between 12 and 14 years old, so inversion therapy that starts before the early teenage years has the best results on reversing or stopping the effects of scoliosis. Older patients may also see an improvement in spine curvature following inversion therapy, but it often takes longer to produce results in teens and adults than it does in younger children.
Possible Dangers
While most cases of scoliosis in children are caused by bone problems or calcification disorders, scoliosis can also result from infection, cancer or a compression fracture. Children who suffer from scoliosis as a result of these other conditions should not undergo inversion therapy unless specifically directed to do so by their doctors.
Pregnant women should not invert as it could cause harm to the unborn fetus. Patients who suffer from glaucoma, hernia, high blood pressure and osteoporosis should consult with a doctor before inverting. If you have a recent spinal injury or surgically implanted rods or supports, inverting could make the injury worse or damage or loosen your surgically implanted devices. Always follow your doctor's instructions on how often and for how long you should remain on an inversion table.
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