Inversion tables
 

First, some examples:

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=is...nversion+table

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...=1367999947007

I'm not expecting miracles, but any thoughts on using inversion tables? I also get pain in the mid and lower back on my TOS side and wonder if it might help that.

And this gentleman says:

"For years prior to my Pilates practice I experienced significant compression in C6 and C7, which resulted in shooting pain through the shoulder and down the arm. I purchased an inversion table. Within two weeks of twice-daily use (5 minutes at a time), the pain was gone. I continue to use it nearly every day (once per day for one or two minutes) for maintenance. "
-- http://www.pilatesconnections.com/to...tlet-syndrome/ #2

His eyebrows and high post count are compelling.

Anyone here try these tables?

I also have the back, leg pain. I do think there's a corelation bt. TOS and back pain. I met a fireman who has had 2 back surgeries and he started using the inversion table every day and swears by it. My husbands friend who owns a concrete company hurt his back thru hard work and he said he has avoided surgery by using it. He uses his every day too and says he no long has problems. I am thinking about ordering one. I've got so much crap now to help TOS - what's one more thing to add to the list?:Scratch-Head:

I'm pretty sure that would flare me up.

Did he have an mri

Shooting pains sound just like my injury

Be careful, I bought and used one before I knew my problem was TOS. Just about put me under from the intense pain it would cause.

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Mine is on the way. I'll build up to full vertical over a period of days. Same with the amount of time I spend on it.

See what it does but definitely take it slow. It really caused me a lot of trouble but I would let my arm hang down below my head not knowing what tos was at the time. Good luck

A few of my family members have inversion tables. It helps spinal pain (primarily lumbar) while you are upside down (but not long term IMO). You need to let your arms hang down (otherwise you will rise upright again) so it is probably bad for TOS.

It may well be bad for TOS, but it might also be good:

"For years prior to my Pilates practice I experienced significant compression in C6 and C7, which resulted in shooting pain through the shoulder and down the arm. I purchased an inversion table. Within two weeks of twice-daily use (5 minutes at a time), the pain was gone. I continue to use it nearly every day (once per day for one or two minutes) for maintenance. "
-- http://www.pilatesconnections.com/to...tlet-syndrome/ #2

If he got decompression in his lower C spine then it must decompress the T and L as well.

In any case, I volunteer to be the guinea pig!

So I got this one:

Ironman IFT 1000 Infrared Therapy Inversion Table
http://www.amazon.com/Ironman-Infrar...dp/B003LR1DB4/

I assembled it today. The instructions were poor but I got through it. Once it was up, it seemed very well constructed. I have no complaints about the parts, the look or how everything fits together. Okay one complaint. Everything new I get has some kind of smell to it that takes a few days to wear off. I call it the "freshly manufactured" smell.

I have not yet tried the heat but look forward to it.

As with many inversion tables there is a "control strap" on the back so you can limit how much it will invert. I set it at about 50 degrees (I'm calling full inversion 90 and horizontal 0; midway would be 45).

So I inverted back to 50 degrees for about 1 minute. The first thing I noticed was that the amount of stretch I felt in my abs was incredible. I do back stretches every day, but almost nothing for the abs, so this made sense to me once I experienced it. They are tighter than my back so they are the first restriction to kick in.

I also experienced incredible tightness in the front of my neck. It surprised me. I couldn't tell if it was just plain tightness or if my neck was actively clenching with some kind of "guard reaction". Of course, this is the last thing a TOS sufferer wants.

Being upside down, even just part way, was uncomfortable for me, but I presume I'll relax into it over time.

When I got back up, I took it slow, to avoid any dizziness. My hands were very dark red and my fingertips purple. I relaxed my neck, shoved my rib down and shook my hands a bit. Now they are back to "my normal" (red with white spots).

My left ear tinnitus increased for a few minutes. (Left is my bad TOS side. Left ear tinnitus kicks in with neck tightness.)

I adjusted the strap to 45 degrees, meaning a little less inversion than I started with. I will try again tomorrow.

This is definitely an experiment. My usage goal is full inversion for 5 minutes, 2 X per day. What I'm hoping for is lengthening and decompression of the spine, especially T-spine and lower C-spine. I also hope for a looser neck!

thanks, keep us updated!! interesting stuff

You might need to start with even less tilt, sounds like a lot of sx showed up @50.
Maybe 30 and see how that goes..
Less tilt and use the Infrared??

I have one and found that it really depends on the day for me. I do not let my arms hang overhead, I kind of lock them to my sides. You really need to start of with less of an angle. Even a slight angle is causing decompression of the spine. I started only at 10 degrees and did that for over a month before increasing it to 20. I can and have in the past did complete inversion, and it really depends on the day for me whether or not it causes me problems, kind of just like any other activity with TOS.

Thanks for everyone's advice.

Session 2:

I used a timer to keep it to 1 minute which was pretty short. I now think I was on 2 - 3 mins last night for my first session. Woops.

I did my normal stretch routine just before going on. Once on, I found that I'm still tight in the abs and neck (no surprise), but not as much as last night. I felt some stretch in my top right thigh and also my lower center back, close to the hips.

I was at 45 degrees. I let the arms hang, but they go down further because they are outside the backing board. It's a little like the stretch we do when we arch over an inflatable ball, foam roller or yoga bolster. But more extreme. I can still feel it in my left chest.

No dark red hands and purple finger tips this time.

I think I'm okay with 45 degrees and a true cap of 1 minute. I'll do it again tonight and then based on feel, I will increase the time at some point.

I still debate on letting the arms go or holding them up.

It's been a full week now.

On my 3rd, 4th and 5th sessions I came out of the inversion with a distinct sensation of being more symmetrical and taller in my trunk. It's a neat feeling.

I'm doing 3 sessions per day at 45 degrees. Today I did 4 mins, 5 mins and 5 mins.

I don't feel a big change in symmetry and height now at the end of each session, but I do feel a difference in these aspects throughout my day compared to how I was before I started inversion. I used to feel like my trunk kind of collapsed in on itself, but having already done stretches, exercises, PT and chiro, I didn't really know what to do about it. Well I eventually did... I thought inversion might help and that appears to be the case.

I always use the timer to make sure I'm controlling the duration.

I use the infrared heat now. Once I'm stretched out, it doesn't really hit the upper back which is disappointing, but I still like the feature and I'm glad I got it.

My abs have loosened up allowing other parts to stretch or at least for me to feel them stretching. The next body part to kick in was the lower spine, a place where I don't normally feel much sensation. After that loosened up, I am now feeling it in my ribs. What will be next, I wonder?

The front neck is still tight and grumpy.

So in addition to getting spinal decompression, this is also a great passive muscle stretch for tightwads like me.

My lower and mid back pain have greatly reduced. And on the one day they acted up, I got on the inversion table for just 4 mins and that knocked it out. Sweet!

Only downside so far is that when I come back up, I often feel some dizziness and it can last from a few mins to 20 mins. I don't like it.

I'm comfortable now with letting the arms hang, though I get some minor symptoms.

If I had to do it over again, I would start at 30 degrees instead of 45.

I wish I had started inversion sooner. On the other hand, I was a train wreck in 2011 and this may have been too intense for me. If that's where you are at, start with 10 degrees like brmr19 did and don't neglect your other treatments.

Tomorrow I will do three sessions of 5 mins each. As long I'm making progress at 45 degrees, I'll just leave it there. I can increment it when I start plateauing.

I've been able to substantially cut down on the dizziness by adjusting my first rib. Adjustment techniques have been discussed elsewhere on these forums. You can search here, on google and youtube if you need more info.

I'm doing 3 sessions per day, 5 mins each. Yesterday I adjusted the angle to be a little deeper.

I have fewer symptoms all around, whether it's back pain or TOS, but it's a bit early to declare victory. Today is day 10.

I'm at about 60 degrees now, 6 minutes, 3 X per day. When I'm inverted, I feel stretching throughout my torso, waist muscles, back, ribs and neck.

This is the first angle that has given me elongation and loosening of the neck. Also, I seem to be getting less severe muscle spasms in my neck and ribs. My scm is less tight than before.

I can't really tell if the neck improvements are from the muscles being stretched, or from the pressure being taken off the nerves that enervate them. Or both. I guess it doesn't matter.

I was in better overall shape for my chiro appointment with regards to my neck and first rib. Also my pec minor was the best he's ever seen it (he does soft tissue work). My inversion is not at a full 90 degrees so my arms hang back relative to my body and my pec minors get stretched.

I still got some back pain the other day. My improvements so far are not 100%. I have all the same stuff, just dialed down.

The experiment continues, but so far, so good. It's been about 15 days.

It's been one month so I thought I would post an update. I still use the inversion table every day. I'm up to 8 mins, 2 - 4 X per day, and will probably hover around there. I'm not yet at full vertical. I think I'm around 70 degrees, but plan to progress to full vertical over time.

Pros:
- Reduced back pain
- Reduced sub occipital pain
- Stretches most (all?) the muscles in the torso and neck
- Taller back
- More symmetrical spine
- When partially inverted, can be used for a deep pec minor stretch

Cons:
- Some dizziness on returning to upright, though this diminishes over time
- Can be a little rough on the ankles where the clasp is made to hold you up
- Another thing to do on top of the other things I do (although worth it)

Sometimes I still have a kink in my back even after being stretched out. For that, I have found it useful to then lay on this:
http://www.amazon.com/Trueback-Non-p...dp/B0016L7DH0/

You can't see it from the photo, but there are two rows of support ridges that run along the side of the spine. These can dig into the muscle tissue and feel pretty good. You can also flip the unit so the tallest portion is under your t-spine. I use this as needed and often with a pillow.

Getting back to the inversion, if you try it, I have two recommendations:

1) Get a table that has built-in heat

2) Start slow, say 30 degrees for 1 minute, and build up from there. Use a timer.