Orthopedics Assistive Devices & Orthotics Does Inversion Therapy Work? By Brett Sears, PT Brett Sears, PT Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Brett Sears, PT, MDT, is a physical therapist with over 20 years of experience in orthopedic and hospital-based therapy. Learn about our editorial process Updated on March 02, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Stuart Hershman, MD Medically reviewed by Stuart Hershman, MD LinkedIn Stuart Hershman, MD, is board-certified in orthopaedic surgery. He is the director of adult spinal deformity & complex spinal reconstruction at Massachusetts General Hospital and is on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin Table of Contents View All Table of Contents How Inversion Therapy Works What Research Says Types of Inversion Therapy Risks and Complications Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions A Word From Verywell Inversion therapy is a physical therapy technique in which you are suspended upside down on an inversion table. This can be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional, but there are also tables sold for home use. The idea is that this process takes pressure off the lower back, thereby relieving lower back pain, sciatica, and more. The effectiveness and safety of inversion therapy is controversial, Understanding the expected benefits and risks associated with inversion or any other treatment for back pain can help you make an informed decision about your care. How Inversion Therapy Works Another name for inversion tables or inversion therapy is gravitational traction. The theory behind inversion table use is that by suspending your body, you are able to unload pressure on the bones, joints, and discs in the low back and create traction. How it works: By separating the discs and joint spaces in your spine, it is theorized that you can take the pressure off spinal nerves and relax muscles. It has also been theorized that traction force through the spine can decrease low back pain. Some practitioners have suggested that traction may allow negative pressure to pull a herniated fragment back into the disc space. What Research Says Most studies indicate that inversion therapy does cause some traction force through the lumbar spine. One study found as much as a 3 mm separation between lumbar vertebrae during inversion therapy. So the question arises: Does lumbar traction help relieve lower back pain? Most studies have not demonstrated that lumbar traction helps LBP. One small study examined the effect of inversion on the need for surgery in people with single-level disc herniations. The researchers found that 77% of the patients were able to avoid surgery using inversion, compared to 22% of patients not using inversion. If you are facing surgery for sciatica, you might consider asking your healthcare provider if you should try inversion therapy. While lumbar traction did not seem detrimental to individuals with low back pain, it also didn’t seem to help much. Types of Inversion Therapy An inversion table is a padded table that is connected to a metal frame with hinges. To use the inversion table, you would be strapped on the table, and then slowly allow the table to flip over, thus inverting the body. Due to the risks, it is recommended to have medical supervision while using this type of therapy. The Best Inversion Tables to Reduce Back Pain Risks and Complications The most common risks associated with inversion tables are an unsafe rise in blood pressure, a rise in pressure in the eyes, or a rise in heart rate. It is recommended that if you have glaucoma, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease you check with your healthcare provider before attempting inversion therapy. This type of treatment can also be dangerous if you have a risk of increased intracranial pressure. Falling off the inversion table, especially while getting on and off, can cause serious injuries. So if you try inversion, be extremely careful. Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions How does inversion therapy work? This therapy changes your body position, with the aim of relieving pressure on structures in your back and providing traction. How long does inversion therapy take to work? It depends. For some people, this therapy doesn't work at all. It may work after a few sessions or after many sessions for some people. How long should you do inversion therapy at one time? This depends on your overall health. It is best to start with no more than a few minutes at a time. If you feel dizzy, experience head pain, or have any other discomfort, tell your healthcare provider right away. A Word From Verywell If you have nonspecific low back pain, it's best to remain active. Your physical therapist can show you the best exercises for you. If you have sciatica, the use of mechanical traction seems to offer little or no benefit. A physical therapist can prescribe exercises for back pain and give you tips on how to change your posture to help your condition. Your physical therapist can also teach you why your back is hurting and can help provide strategies to prevent future problems with your low back. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Dealing with joint pain can cause major disruptions to your day. Sign up and learn how to better take care of your body. Click below and just hit send! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 6 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, Mclean RM, Forciea MA. Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: A clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166(7):514-530. doi:10.7326/M16-2367 Wegner I, Widyahening IS, Van tulder MW, et al. Traction for low-back pain with or without sciatica. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;(8):CD003010. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003010.pub5 Jung SH, Hwang JM, Kim CH. Inversion table fall injury, the phantom menace: Three case reports on cervical spinal cord injury. Healthcare (Basel). 2021 Apr 22;9(5):492. doi:10.3390/healthcare9050492 Prasad M, et al. Inversion therapy in patients with pure single level lumbar discogenic disease: a pilot randomized trial. Disability and Rehabilitation. 34(17); 2012. doi:10.3109/09638288.2011.647231 McMonnies CW. Intraocular pressure and glaucoma: Is physical exercise beneficial or a risk?. J Optom. 2016;9(3):139–147. doi:10.1016/j.optom.2015.12.001 Kondrashova T, Makar M, Proctor C, Bridgmon KA, Pazdernik V. Dynamic assessment of cerebral blood flow and intracranial pressure during inversion table tilt using ultrasonography. J Neurol Sci. 2019 Sep 15;404:150-156. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2019.07.033 Additional Reading Lerebours VC, Rohl AJ, Shaikh S. Bilateral retinal detachments associated with inversion table therapy. Cureus. 2017;9(3):e1098. Published 2017 Mar 15. doi:10.7759/cureus.1098 Veltri, D. (2017). The Effects of an Inversion Table on Lower Spine Flexibility (Doctoral dissertation, The William Paterson University of New Jersey).