Exerpeutic Inversion Table with Comfort Foam Backrest

My first thought was that these things are stupid. I had a friend tell me for years that his inversion board, chirocrippler, and dead chicken ceremony were the greatest thing ever. I ignored him. Then my doctor actually started telling me to use an inversion table. I ignored him for a year too, but finally broke down. Laying there on the bed hurting again all I could think was, well I guess I could try it. I grabbed my handy iPad, read some reviews, and hit the super duper send it silly fast button.

Big box arrived on time and in good condition. It was heavy too. I thought that was somewhat ironic, but hey better that than a box full of plastic. Opening it up I had some trepidation having just spent an eternity putting together a shed with half a billion screws, bolts, and pieces and the worst instructions known to man (like the one on the last page that says, "NOTICE: Before doing anything else..."). The device lay there in the box all wrapped in plastic, cardboard, and foam. In fact it was probably the best wrapped product I bought in a long time. None of the metal parts were rubbing against anything. The one place where metal was likely to rub they had carefully inserted a 1-inch square of cardboard to keep that from happening! Everything was well sealed and put into the package in a way that pieces wouldn't slide around. Obviously this is a company that actually cares about how the product looks when it gets to the customer.

The instruction manual was (mercifully) thin and not printed in 18 dialects from inner Papua New Guinea. My sense of dread grew knowing that thin manuals usually mean frustration. A package of tools, screws, and bolts also came out of the box. Interestingly enough the tools were not the cheap pot metal tools so typical for installation. You know the kind, the bolt "wrench" becomes a "bent" and the hex tool strips and becomes a round tool on the second bolt. Nope, these are actually good steel. Moreover the screws and bolts were not just thrown in a bag together. Rather they were in separate compartments marked with which step they were to be used! Hmmm...could it be?

Yep. Following the manual was simple and straight forward. The device went together quickly and without any missing parts, mis-fitting parts, or blood loss. More importantly to me I never once put a bolt or screw in and then found myself pulling it back out again because the directions misdirected me. Everything came with washers and the appropriate nuts had nylon inserts to keep them in place. The drawings in the manual were simple, but not too simple. At one point I commented to my son that we must have been doing something wrong because it all seemed to be going well. Once all the parts were on I adjusted the safety strap (intelligently designed to allow you to limit how far the device inverts), tightened the bolts, and got ready to climb on.

Now here's the deal. I am a big guy. 6'4" and 270 pounds (but I've been on a slow weight loss plan for the last few decades...). The specifications for the device said it would handle me and being that I would prefer not breaking my back again I double checked everything to be sure it was going to hold. No worries. Solid steel, strong bolts, good design. I adjusted the foot rest (a very simple process) and proceeded to climb on and invert. The balance was good and the oversize handles were really appreciated. I went slowly not wanting to experience throwing up while upside down (think about it...). I experienced only minor dizziness and that only because I was laughing like an idiot while my son was making fun of my incredibly red face while all the blood flooded to my head.

Coming back up to vertical was smooth, simple, and safe. No problems there either. I made a few more adjustments and started playing around with what would work best. A few observations: First, wear socks and preferably shoes. A towel set up to help cushion your feet might be helpful too. Hey, your feet aren't designed to hold you that way and the pressure can be uncomfortable. A little adjusting and working with it and you'll be fine. Second, go SLOW. Flipping up and down is good for a laugh (or a screech) but unless you are a 4-foot olympic gymnast you will not be used to it. Take your time. Third, similarly, when you come back up give your ears a half minute or so at vertical again before wandering around. Fourth, you do not have to go completely inverted to get the benefit of the device. You can go 20 degrees or 45 degrees for a week or two and still get a good stretch and a lot of benefit. I like to invert for a minute or so and then work back to a less severe angle which allows me to stay on the table longer. Fifth, if you just ate a huge spaghetti dinner (diet? what diet?) you may experience a tad bit of indigestion as your entire digestive track is turned upside down. Waiting an hour after eating before flipping upside down seems a wise precaution.

So does it work? Well that depends. First, not all back problems are the same and so no treatment is a one-size fits all solution. If your doctor says it will work for you give it a shot. If you're making a wild shot in the dark then for the price it may be worth it for you. I have disc problems and muscle problems. In my case it's simply an issue of traction and fighting gravity to help relax the muscles, realign the bones, and let things slide back to where they belong. The board doesn't "fix" the problem for me, but it definitely helps alleviate the problem. I feel much better using it and it is destined to become part of my daily routine for the rest of my life. In my case a bit in the morning helps straighten me out and relax the muscles after a long night and another session in the evening helps make up for a day of abuse. I'd also say it's important to do basic exercises. There's an old book called "The Bad Back Book" which I'd recommend picking up that covers the exercises well without a lot of garbage.

Last night was one of the big tests for me. I dread impending storms since apparently I am now a walking barometer. A storm was coming in and I jumped on the board for a 20-minute session hoping that I could keep from limping around for a day. Sure enough it snowed last night and this morning I feel amazingly well after my morning session.

I can't imagine a better purchase. The price was one of the best. The features were all there. The company obviously cares about their product. It works for me. Honestly, I thought I would have paid twice as much for this good of a product. In case you're wondering, no I will not be performing the dead chicken ceremony too...

I wanted to write a review because I'm sure there are people, like me, who already know how awesome inversion tables are and just want a review on the table itself and not the outcome of using it. I did my research on over 15 different tables between $90-120. I have to say my research paid off with this table. It came packaged well, fit neatly in the back seat of my 2009 Acura TSX (had it delivered to my work since I live in an apartment) and took about 45 minutes for my boyfriend to put together. It feels very sturdy and the backboard is made of memory foam as advertised (comfortable). The feet holders are comfortable as can be (you will almost always have ankle pain with any inversion table with all the weight put on them-just put padding around the ankles). Also, adjusting height/ankle width is very smooth (I've used ones where it sticks and you need a helping hand). Overall, the most important thing to me is it feels really sturdy and is overall very good quality equipment for the price. I'm really happy with this table!!

This is absolutely an AWESOME inversion table!!! Do not waste your money on more expensive machines!~ This table is as sturdy and as comfortable as other tables that are 4 times the price of this one. If you will notice the FRAME, you will see that this table is the ONLY one of its price range that has a square style bottom (other tables have a ROUNDED base of poorer quality metal). The Ironman series does have a square frame, but it is much more expensive than this product.

I have been working in the field of physical therapy for 14 years and can highly recommend this product. In 2010, I was in a terrible car wreck (car vs. tree) after hydroplaning on my way to work. Anyway, I broke my back in 5 places and now have 2 Harrington rods and 10 screws with a fusion from T7 to L1. I use this table DAILY and get relief for my back pain. (Note - please consult with your doctor before using an inversion table if you have a spinal fusion, scoliosis, or other back problems).

Here are the Pros and Cons of this product: (also, please click on the 'comments' section, as I updated my review in comparision to other tables and comments made).

PROS:
1) Inexpensive
2) VERY WELL CONSTRUCTED
3) Square base - table does not wobble when in use!~
4) Holds up to 300lbs
5) Back rest is made of thick, comfortable material
6) Easy to put together and adjust - my husband put this together in about 20 minutes (one person can put this together; however, my husband did ask for my help once to support one end of the table as he tightened the screws)
7) Foot support is adequate, with thick pads and adjustments for comfort (Note* Foot rests on ANY inversion table will apply some pressure to the tops of your feet when you are fully inverted - I recommend wearing thick socks or comfortable shoes for added comfort).
8) As compared to all other inversion tables, not only is this table extremely well constructed, but it also TAKES UP LESS ROOM (base width) than almost all the other tables I looked at.
9) My son, who is 6'5" tall and weighs 295 lbs. fits on this table just fine!!! Although the width base of the unit is compact, the back rest is so nicely made that even a person of wide girth will not have a problem using this table.
10) LO"TS of adjustment choices to fit the needs of anyone from 4'10 tall to 6'6" tall, weighing up to 300 lbs.

CONS
1) My husband suggests using your own tool set to put the unit together instead of using the tools provided, as he feels he needed to tighten all of the screws again with his own tools after using those that came in the box. (Note- my husband is a safety fanatic, so he wanted to make sure the unit was put together correctly - I think he just wanted an excuse to pull out his new set of Craftsman tools :) )
2) The toggle strap (that you use to change degrees of inversion) my not be adequate for a heavier user. As said, my 6'5" son uses this machine just fine, but the strap provided 'gave' a bit when he used it. QUICK FIX - go to Walmart and buy a 5 dollar buckle style tie down strap (in the automotive section) and use this instead - the 5 dollar strap is safe for over 500 lbs of pull and will not rip.

HOPE THIS HELPS!!! THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PRODUCT!!!