Inversion — hanging or otherwise positioning yourself upside down — can be beneficial for your health. Sometimes called the “perfect stretch”, inversion can reverse pressure on muscles, joints, and organs.
However, inversion may not be right for everyone. Certain health conditions may make inversion a dangerous practice. If you are concerned that inversion may not be good for you, talk to your healthcare provider before attempting any kind of inversion.
- Bone problems — like osteoporosis, spine injury or trauma, or fractures. Inversion may worsen bone problems.
- Circulatory problems — like high blood pressure, heart disease, and clotting problems. While some studies have shown that inversion can lower blood pressure, inversion may exacerbate circulatory issues.
- Ear infection. Hanging upside down when you have a middle ear infection may cause discomfort or disorientation.
- Eye problems — like glaucoma or retinal detachment. While a healthy body can regulate pressure in and around organs (like the eyes) during inversion, people with elevated eye fluid pressure should avoid inversion.
- Hernia, especially hiatal hernia or ventral hernia. The inversion of pressure on the organs in the abdominal cavity is not advisable.
- Pregnancy. Women who are expecting should consult a healthcare provider before practicing inversion.
- Stroke or ministroke. These can be caused by a blockage or interruption of blood flow to the brain, or a burst blood vessel in the brain. The increased blood flow to the brain that comes with inversion may do more harm than good.
If you are in general good health, inversion is probably safe for you. However, if you have one of the conditions listed above, you should talk to your doctor or other health professional before trying inversion. The above list is not all-inclusive, however, so if you feel like inversion might not be right for you, talk to your healthcare provider first!