The Best Inversion Tables for Relieving Back Pain in 2024

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If you've been suffering from back pain, you've probably tried everything from hot baths to massages. But what about hanging upside down?

Inversion tables are cushioned tables that allow users to strap themselves in and hang upside-down with their legs up, which makes it easier for the spine to decompress and realign itself. When your spine is compressed, it can cause a lot of problems. The discs between the vertebrae get squished together, which leads to inflammation and pain in the lower back.

And if you are experiencing back pain—you’re not alone. It turns out nearly 65 million Americans report back pain, which explains why we’re all searching for some at-home relief, which is why you might be curious about the effectiveness of inversion tables.

A small study of people with back pain found that over the course of eight weeks, using an inversion table reclined at a 60-degree angle was most effective in reducing back pain or discomfort and improving lumbar flexibility.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best inversion tables for back pain in 2024, complete with a variety of features to help you find the best one to relieve your pain. Plus we break down exactly how and why to add an inversion table to your home gym setup.

Note, if you’re experiencing back pain, it’s important to consult with your healthcare provider before using an inversion table. Additionally, if you have certain health conditions, you should avoid use. A doctor or physical therapist can help you properly and safely implement an inversion table into your recovery routine.

Our Picks for the Best Inversion Tables of 2024:

• Best Overall Inversion Table: Teeter FitSpine X3
• Best Inversion Table for Back Pain Relief: Health Gear ITM 6400 Deluxe
• Best Adjustable Inversion Table: Body Vision IT9550
• Best Heavy Duty Inversion Table: Health Gear ITM5500
• Best Inversion Table with Massage: INNOVA ITM5900 Advanced Heat and Massage
• Best Inversion Table for Small Spaces: Exerpeutic Inversion Table

Best Overall: Teeter FitSpine X3

Specs:

• Price: $450
• Dimensions: 81.0 x 28.8 x 86.5 inches (In-use max dimensions)
• Weight capacity: 300 pounds
• Max user height: Six feet six inches
• Additional features: Lumbar support and acupressure nodes, precision-balancing design, five-year warranty

Teeter FitSpine X3 earned our top pick for the best overall inversion table because its designed both for those new to inversion tables and those with experience. Designed with a quality construction and engineering, it also comes with EZ-Stretch traction Handles, StretchMax Handles and an EZ-ankle lock system you can dial in so you’ll feel secure during use. The handles are designed to allow you easy control of your inversion, and you can pre-set the tether to 20, 40 or 60 degrees. You’ll also get access to the Teeter Move App, where a corrective exercise specialist guides you through inversion sessions.

Even better, the machine comes 85 percent assembled, and all you have to do is follow the interactive instructions in the BILT app to finish the super fast assembly process.

Pros:

• Teeter’s inversion tables are FDA-Registered Medical Devices
• Your purchase gets you access to the Teeter Move App, which guides you through trainer-led workouts and use of the inversion table
• Reviewers love the ease of use and customer service
• Adjustable acupressure nodes help you get targeted pain relief where you need it
• You can purchase more add-ons for additional comfort

Cons:

• Some reviewers report that its sturdy construction makes it heavy and not easily moved
• Expensive compared to other brands

Best Inversion Table for Back Pain Relief: Health Gear ITM 6400 Deluxe

Specs:

• Price: $180
• Dimensions: 46 x 28 x 63 inches
• Weight capacity: 300 pounds
• Max user height: Six feet five inches
• Additional features: Adjustable head rest by 4.5 inches, soft-padded handlebars, foot rest plate, rolling wheels

Designed for comfort, The Health Gear Deluxe features rear foam rollers, lock-in ankle support so you can adjust without bending over and four angles of inversion you can pre-select. This product makes back pain relief accessible by offering convenient four position side inversion pins, so you can easily adjust your inversion degree. Plus, the vibrating massage and heat therapy makes it easy to loosen up your muscles as you rest on a four-inch memory foam backrest.

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Pros:

• Built in, removable heat pad
• Built-in, removable lumbar massage pad
• Foldable for easy storage
• Reviewers rave about the comfort of the memory foam backrest

Cons:

• Some reviewers are worried about the limited, 30-day warranty
• While some reviewers say that the construction is sturdy, others complain that it is unsteady

Best Adjustable Inversion Table: Body Vision IT9550

Specs:

• Price: $120
• Dimensions: 40.5 x 26 x 50 inches
• Weight capacity: 250 pounds
• Max user height: Six feet six inches
• Additional features: Adjustable lumbar support pad for targeted stretching

The Body Vision IT9550 is an easily adjustable inversion table. You can adjust the settings based on height and weight to find the most comfortable setting for you. Additionally, the headrest can be removed. It’s equipped with a lumbar support pad which you can reposition to stretch the tightest parts of your back. This pad is also removable, and this means you can also incorporate it into other stretches or yoga exercises you may be doing.

Pros:

• Target lower, upper or mid-back with the adjustable lumbar support pad
• Reviewers love the easy assembly
• A foam pad handle provides a comfortable grip
• Foldable, space-saving design

Cons:

• This table only supports users up to 250 pounds
• Some reviewers say that the table isn’t the easiest to invert
• The ankle straps feel a little loose, according to some reviewers

Best Heavy Duty Inversion Table: Health Gear ITM5500

Specs:

• Price: $240
• Dimensions: ‎51 x 29 x 7 inches
• Weight capacity: 300 pounds
• Max user height: six feet five inches
• Additional features: four-position inversion, massage and heat settings

With a maximum weight of 300 pounds, Health Gear's ITM5500 is a super-heavy-duty inverter support. It is designed with a four-inch foam backrest, and includes a removable massage and heat pad, making it a versatile inversion table. A side pin allows you to adjust your inversion and allows for the tension to be released quickly when you need to return to an upright position.

Pros:

• Equipped with a remote-controlled, full-back heat and massage pad
• Reviewers love that this inversion table is very sturdy and stable
• Foldable and equipped with wheels for easy storage
• An easy ankle lock system keeps you secure

Cons:

• Some reviewers say that the massage pad doesn’t have much strength

Best Inversion Table with Massage: INNOVA ITM5900 Advanced Heat and Massage

Specs:

• Price: $200
• Dimensions: 46 x 28 x 61 inches
• Weight capacity: 300 pounds
• Max user height: six feet six inches
• Additional features: Heat and massage settings

The Innova ITM5900 inversion table features a large backrest pad for comfort, and a balance system to help you find your center of gravity to help with inversion. This table easily adjusts to six different positions, (with presets including 15, 30, 45, 60, 85) with a pin, so you can invert further, or return to vertical without getting up.

The headrest is adjustable to three different positions, so you can find what feels best on your neck and back. Plus, there are heat settings and a massage pad that covers the length of the spine. You can use auto-settings, or manually choose what areas of your back get the most love.

Pros:

• Handles allow you to easily return to an upright position
• Accommodates a wide range of heights
• Multiple modes of heat and massage for pain relief
• Where most inversion tables have four inversion settings, this one has six
• Reviewers say it’s great value for the money

Cons:

• Reviewers say that if you’re short, you may have issues getting in and out of the table.

Best Inversion Table for Small Spaces: Exerpeutic Inversion Table

Specs:

• Price: $164
• Dimensions: 64.5 x 27.5 x 17 inches
• Weight capacity: 300 pounds
• Max user height: six feet three inches
• Additional features: Decompression wheel control allows you to stretch out in increments of 0.03 inches

The Exerpeutic Inversion Table stands out on this list, and it is not your typical inversion table—it doesn’t invert. Instead, it’s a traction table used to help decompress your back. Equipped with a foam backrest for lumbar support and a crank wheel so you can control the height of decompression, stretching just 0.03 in. at a time, you’ll get the stretching benefits of an inversion table without going upside down.

Pros:

• Don’t hang upside down on this bench, making it safer for those with certain health conditions that wouldn’t allow them to use a typical inversion table
• Four adjustable positions allow you to stretch your back where it’s needed
• Great for small spaces. When not assembled can fit under a bed
• This bench is lightweight, so it’s easy to move around and put in and get out of storage

Cons:

• If you’re looking for a true inversion table, this isn’t your best option, as this table doesn’t allow you to hang upside down
• Reviewers say the table is low, so it can be awkward to get onto and may be difficult or painful if you have back pain

Inversion Table Benefits

While there is limited research, in theory an inversion table works to stretch the musculature, which may temporarily relieve some pain and pressure if you’re feeling pain from bulging discs or sciatica, says Keith Feind, DPT and Athletic Trainer at NYU Langone Orthopedic Center.

Using an inversion table—along with stretching, strengthening exercises and potentially physical therapy, can help provide muscle pain and joint pain relief. A handful of studies have suggested that inversion therapy can decompress the spine and provide relief from back pain, explains Katie Kollath, ACE CPT and Co-Founder of Barpath Fitness. However, the studies that have been done have been small and there is limited evidence proving this to be effective for long-term relief. “Larger and more extensive studies need to be done to find conclusive evidence that inversion therapy is beneficial for low back pain,” she says.

Inversion also temporarily increases blood flow to the brain, but this can come with increased heart rate, increased pressure behind the eyes and increased blood pressure, which makes use of inversion tables not safe for some.

Finding the root of your back pain can also help you decide if an inversion table is beneficial. Do you need to try a new mattress? Do you find yourself glued to your computer all day without getting up for walks? In order to manage pain and the root of it, all of these factors should be considered.

How To Choose the Best Inversion Table For You

Size/Weight

When you consider what inversion table to purchase, you’ll need to consider the height and weight limits of the apparatus.

Safety

Inversion tables come equipped with ankle straps or a way of securing yourself in the table, but you’ll also want to make sure that you properly assemble your table. Additionally, before use you should check to make sure that there are no loose parts, and always have a spotter or trainer nearby.

Features

Inversion tables come with a variety of features. You can find simple ones, or ones with lots of added bells and whistles, such as acupressure points, heat and massage. Which one you choose comes down to personal preference. Take into consideration your needs, how often you’ll use the table and what you find most helpful when it comes to your pain relief.

Price

Inversion tables can range in price from $100 to over $400, so there are inversion tables that can work for a variety of budgets. If you’re worried about spending a lot of money on the table, you can test it out first at a physical therapist’s office.

How Does An Inversion Table Work

A person lays on an inversion table and locks their ankles into it, either by straps or pads. Then, leaning back on the table or utilizing inversion settings, can position themselves at different angles. Gravity will apply traction and force—with more force being applied as a person becomes more inverted.

“Hypothetically, an [inversion table] works to separate the lumbar spine and improve movement of the facet joint that connects one part of the spine to another,” says Feind.

Do Inversion Tables Fix Posture?

Inversion tables can help to reduce muscle tension and improve movement in the joints, which may be able to help fix your posture. In order to help fix your posture, you’ll want to also incorporate yoga, stretching and focus on the setup of your workspace.

FAQs

Do doctors recommend inversion tables?

This will depend on your specific back pain and treatment, taking into consideration cause and severity of pain or injury. In some cases, doctors or physical therapists may recommend inversion tables as part of your therapy regimen, while other doctors may not. Fiend explains that oftentimes, doctors or physical therapists will only recommend inversion tables in certain circumstances, such as for people who don’t respond to active-based approaches to relieve their back pain. Others might recommend forms of low-impact exercise to relieve back pain, such as walking. 

Who should not do inversion therapy?

It’s important to consider that hanging upside down can increase your blood pressure, so if you have conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure, glaucoma or are pregnant you should not use an inversion table. You should stop using it if you experience nausea, dizziness or worsening pain.

Any time you’re going to start some form of treatment, it’s recommended you reach out to a doctor or PT, as there are a handful of medical diagnoses that would be negatively affected by inversion therapy.

Can you get stuck upside down in an inversion table?

It is unlikely you’ll get stuck upside down in an inversion table, but it is possible. When first starting out, be sure to have a spotter. To be safe, don’t use an inversion table when you are alone or keep a cell phone on you just in case. (You can also use your phone to time your inversions.)

Can you use an inversion table too much?

According to Haren Bodepudi at the Cleveland Clinic, when first starting out using an inversion table, you should start small—begin with 30- to 45-second increments upside down while your body adjusts. You should only use these in short spans, inverting for up to one to three minutes, returning to an upright position and then inverting again.

Being upside down for too long can be dangerous, adds Kollath. It can cause nausea and headaches in some people. “That is why inversion tables are typically used for sets of 30 seconds to two minutes.”

Additionally, there are tables that work to stretch your back that don’t require you to fully invert. 

In some cases, Bodepudei says, an inversion table can be used in combination with physical therapy, at-home stretching (like using a foam roller or massage gun) and over-the-counter pain medication to provide a more comprehensive back therapy routine.

Final Thoughts

Overall, inversion tables are safe for most people to use at home but aren't an instant cure. While an inversion table may help temporarily relieve back pain, it’s important to remember that the root cause of back pain may be something else, such as lack of exercise, sitting for extended periods of time, a weak core or acute or chronic injury. Your doctor will be able to help you determine if inversion therapy is right for you. 

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.