Back pain is bad no matter what the source.
Whether it’s sciatica, a degenerative back condition, or frequent muscle soreness, chronic back pain makes it difficult to get relief.
That’s where the Invertio Inversion Table can help.
I try inversion to relieve my occasional back pain instead of popping anti-inflammatory pills. Most of the time, it works.
What To Consider Before Buying An Inversion Table
Inversion simply reverses the pull of gravity on your back and spine by turning you upside down at different angles.
The theory behind inversion is that it reduces the pull of gravity on your spinal nerves and disks. Spinal traction (inversion) can temporarily increase the space between vertebral disks.
Inversion can help:
- Back pain
- Compressed disks
- Muscle spasms or soreness
- Scoliosis
- Sciatica pain
There are a number of clinical studies that back up these claims.
The experiment most frequently cited by fans of inversion therapy took place at Newcastle University in 2012.
This research concluded that 60 degree inversion combined with stretching can help back patients avoid surgery.
Another clinical study in 2013 showed that patients who used inversion enjoyed better results than patients who treated their back pain with hot packs and electric current therapy (interferential therapy).
Though inversion should be safe for most healthy people, it also can lower blood pressure, slow your heartbeat and increase the internal fluid pressure on your eyeballs.
For these reasons, Dr. Lali Sekhon says that your doctor could recommend against inversion therapy if you suffer from one of the following conditions:
- Glaucoma
- Spinal fracture
- Circulatory problems
- Detached retina
- Hernia
- Ear or eye infection
- Osteoporosis
- Severe obesity
- Spinal injury
- Pregnancy
Seek advice from your physician before starting any type of inversion therapy program.
If you can’t use inversion therapy, you could consider heat packs, electrical stimulation, massage devices and various kinds of exercise programs such as yoga.
Introducing the Invertio Inversion Table Back Stretching Machine
The Invertio Inversion Table comes with a basic black vinyl-covered backrest on a steel frame.
It certainly looks like a no-frills machine, unlike some of the fancier inversion tables on the market.
Market-leader Teeter inversion tables have much more brand awareness due to heavy advertising on commercial TV.
The Invertio Inversion Table weighs 55 lbs. and can adjust to fit people who range from 5’1″ to 6’6″ in height.
It can handle people who weight up to 300 lbs. If you’re heavier than that, you’re out of luck.
Even so, the Invertio will fit most users.
Pros
- No frills inversion
- Low price
- 8 adjustment settings for ankle support
Cons
- Only has 4 pre-set inversion settings
- Doesn’t have heat massage or lumbar support
- Short handle to release ankle support
Features and Benefits of the Invertio
The Invertio Inversion Table is a pretty basic inversion table that doesn’t have many of the features its higher-priced cousins have, such as lumbar support, heated massage pads, a large number of pre-set inversion angles and super-thick padding.
But, most users should find it comfortable enough.
Ankle Lock System
One of the key features of any inversion table is the ankle locking system.
To hang upside-down, you’ll put considerable stress on your ankles after strapping yourself into the machine and turning yourself on end.
The ankle locking system needs to be both sturdy and comfortable.
The Invertio Inversion Table has a nice ankle locking system that involves four foam covered restraints (two for each ankle).
These rollers are fairly comfortable and secure, but aren’t as nice as the ergonomically-friendly curved supports you find on some inversion tables.
The Invertio Inversion Table does have a ratchet system with eight settings to ensure that your ankles fit well between the rollers.
The only problem here is that the release handle for the ankle support is a bit short.
If you’re tall, you’ll have to bend over quite a bit to release yourself.
This can be painful if you have a bad back, which is why you’re using the thing in the first place.
The footrests are nice and wide, which prevents them from cutting into your feet if you use the machine without shoes.
However, you can’t adjust the length of the footrest.
Backrest
The backrest of the Invertio Inversion Table is covered in black vinyl with about 1.5 to 2 inches of foam padding underneath.
It’s not as cushioned as some other inversion tables, but it’s a good size that offers enough comfort for most people.
The backrest does have a thicker pillow to rest your head, but it’s not adjustable like some other tables.
Height Adjustment
Adjusting the table for your height is easy.
You just remove the pin from the back spine and move it to the setting for your height.
The height settings come in one-inch increments that range from 5’1″ to 6’6″.
Since I happen to fall well within the Invertio’s height extremes, I can’t tell you if the machine still works if you’re a little smaller or larger than its most extreme height settings.
You should be able to go into inversion just by moving your arms either up or down.
If you can’t do this, then you need to change the height setting.
If you can’t, you can use the handles on either side of the machine that sit at about waist height.
These handles are 34″ long and are covered with an easy-to-grip material that prevents using them from hurting your hands.
Inversion Angle Setting
The Invertio only provides four different angles: 20, 40, 60, and 80 degrees.
While the max inversion angle is 20 degrees beyond the Teeter, the Invertio Inversion Table has fewer angle settings than many competitors.
People with back pain could find 20 degree increments too steep a difference to gradually increase the inversion angle (which increases the traction force).
For some people, this could lead to discomfort as you advance the inversion angle your body can take.
Assembly
Building the machine after delivery isn’t truly hard if you can follow instructions and are somewhat handy.
And, I literally mean “somewhat” since I had no trouble putting the thing together and I’m hardly the master of home improvement projects.
The Invertio Inversion Table shipping package comes with everything you need to assemble the machine.
But, using your own socket wrenches (if you have them) will make the job much easier.
Also, some of the parts can be difficult to handle by yourself.
A second pair of hands would be nice.
One good thing about the Invertio Inversion Table is that you have the option to pay for assembly if you don’t want to bother with it yourself.
Storage
Most inversion tables do fold, and the Invertio is no exception to this rule.
However, the Invertio Inversion Table doesn’t go completely flat in its folded position. The handles still stick out.
This protrusion means that it might not go under your bed or other furniture if you wish to store it out of sight.
The Invertio does take up less space in the folded position if you simply wish to lean the machine against the wall or stick it in a closet.
Overall, the Invertio Inversion Table offers a no-frills inversion table that’s good for its intended purpose.
While it lacks heat massage, lumbar support and a wide variety of inversion settings, it’s going to get the job done for most people.
What Others are Saying About the Invertio Inversion Table
Okay, but what do other users have to say about the Invertio Inversion Table?
The Invertio has over 290 customer reviews on Amazon. Sixty-seven percent of those reviews are five stars, and the machine boasts a strong 4 1/2 star overall rating.
E David leads off his review with the title “What a Great Machine!” and says that he finds it comfortable to use.
Mark received a damaged package that was missing three parts, but the company impressed him with its quick response in providing replacements.
Wisconsin Ron used the Invertio three times a day for five minutes at a time, and felt a lot less back pain after only four days. He does recommend using no more than the 20 degree setting for the first 7-10 days before advancing to higher traction settings.
Other Inversion Tables
If you don’t think that the Invertio Inversion Table works for you, there are still a lot of other high-quality inversion tables you can choose from.
Here are a few really good ones to save you some time.
YOLEO Gravity Heavy Duty Inversion Table with Headrest
If you want a more comfortable and studier inversion table than the Invertio at an evenly slightly less expensive price, you can check out the YOLEO Gravity Heavy Duty Inversion Table with Headrest.
The first striking thing about the YOLEO is how thick and heavy the tubular steel frame looks.
This inversion table also sports a thick memory-foam padding beneath its blue vinyl cover. It simply looks more comfortable than most tables.
The YOLEO is another low-priced inversion table like the Invertio, but comes with even less inversion angle settings.
But, the YOLEO Gravity Heavy Duty Inversion Table with Headrest can handle users more than 3 inches shorter than the Invertio (4’10” to 6’6″).
YOLEO Gravity Heavy Duty Inversion Table with Headrest vs. Invertio Inversion Table
- Only 3 instead of 4 angle settings
- Thicker memory foam pad
- Can adjust to shorter users, 4
- Rated to bear the same 300lbs. despite thicker tubular steel frame
- Has ergonomic back-piece on back rest
Body Vision IT9825 Premium Inversion Table
If you want to turn fully upside down, the Body Vision table is a good alternative to the Invertio.
You also may like the lumbar support. You can explore the features of the Body Vision IT9825 Premium Inversion Table.
This inversion table comes in a two-tone red and black vinyl backrest with a lumbar support pad.
Like the Invertio inversion table, the Body Vision IT9825 Premium Inversion Table has 4 pre-set inversion angle adjustments.
However, the increments are a bit different at 20, 40, 60, and 90.
This inversion table machine handles the same height range of users as the Invertio (5’1″ to 6’6″), but it can only support 250 lbs. of weight.
Body Vision IT9825 Premium Inversion Table vs. Invertio Inversion Table
- Last increment is 30 degrees instead of 20, but does allow full inversion
- Can only handle users up to 250 lbs. instead of up to 300 lbs.
- Backrest does include lumbar support
Health Gear HGI 4.2 Inversion Table
If you want an inversion table that comes with heat massage and lumbar support for a little extra money, you can look over the Heath Gear HGI 4.2 Inversion Table.
As the name implies, the Health Gear HGI 4.2 Diamond Edition Heat & Vibration Massage Inversion Table also includes a heated massage pad.
This slightly-higher priced inversion table also includes lumbar support, a longer ankle support release handle, plus transport wheels to help make storage easier.
The Heath Gear HGI 4.2 Inversion Table also comes with an adjustable head-rest and can handle users from 5’1″ to 6’6″ and up to 300 lbs.
Health Gear HGI 4.2 Inversion Table vs. Invertio Inversion Table
- Has heat massage and lumbar support
- Has wheels to help move for storage
- Handles same user size as Invertio (5’1 to 6’6″ and up to 300 lbs.)
Final Thoughts
Inversion can help relieve back pain and muscle soreness by temporarily reducing the pressure of gravity on your spine.
The Invertio Inversion Table four different angles of inversion along with its secure footrest can safely help you use inversion therapy in your home or office for an affordable price.
