Saturday, January 10, 2009

Relaxing the back

Got a massage this morning. Usually, my massage therapist is working out all kinds of knots and tension, but today things were much looser. And it's not just my imagination -- my massage therapist noticed it too. My hips are looser and my shoulders aren't nearly as tight. So what's the difference?

The only thing I'm doing differently is the inversion table -- for only the last 6 days. I don't know if it's just a fluke or if inversion is really loosening me up. I started at only 2 minutes a day and am now only up to 10 minutes at barely 20 degrees of inversion (60 degrees gives the full benefits of invversion). I have to admit, I thought it was helping relax my back, hips and shoulders but then I thought maybe it was all in my head. Now, maybe not.

We'll see how my back does as I return to using the stationery bike and later when I return to running and weights.

2 comments:

Frayed Laces said...

does it work the same if you lie upside down hanging off something?

That is interesting. Keep us posted on how things work with that!

chirunner said...

I don't know about hanging off of something. I'll try to get a photo up soon (I really should learn how to do that.) I'm locked in from the ankles with straight legs so I get a full body and spinal stretch. I'll definitely keep you posted.