Build Your Own Spinal Decompression System
Decompression units are widely used to negate the effects of gravity on your spine. Elongating the spine and giving the intervertebral discs enough space to allow spinal mobility is a conservative treatment for back pain designed to (hopefully) prevent the need for surgery. Building a simple decompression system is easy, often assembling items from other workout or household items. Performing your decompression therapy daily may be more challenging.
Instructions
1. Determine what type of decompression unit you wish to build or assemble. A towel can be folded and used as a simple traction device, and a pull-up bar can be used for inversion therapy. Speak with your doctor about the type of decompression that is best for your situation and safest for your health condition.
2. Build a simple traction unit. Roll a towel lengthwise to create a long, tubelike cushion. Cut a hole in each end of the towel. Apply fabric glue around the hole seams to prevent fraying and to the ends of the towel to keep it rolled tightly. Allow this to dry, and then thread one end of an 18-inch nylon cord through the left end of the towel and knot it securely in place. Then thread the other end of this cord into the right end of the towel and knot it. Take 10 more feet of nylon cord and tie one end to the middle of the 18-inch cord, and feed it up to an over-the-top door hook. In this setup, you place the towel under your chin securely, with the cord extending over the top of your head. The cord that is threaded to the door hook should have the excess hanging to the floor, where you will sit facing away from the door and pull the long cord. As you pull down, the towel should extend, gently pulling your head upward and decompressing your spine.
3. Install an inversion bar. Position an adjustable pull-up bar 8 inches from the top of the door frame. This is to give you enough space to lock your inversion boots in without hitting the top of the door. Adjust the pull-up bar to fit securely across your door frame. This is easily done via a spring-loaded adjuster that will lock in place by twisting the rod after you have fit it properly. Hang from your arms on the pull-up bar to make sure that it is properly installed. The last thing you want is to fall on your neck when trying to decompress.
Tags: Build Your, Spinal, Decompression System, door frame, door frame This