Friday Q&A: Hanging Upside Down

The Monkeys in the Jungle by Henri Rousseau

Q: Recently I had an X-ray of my spine to see what was causing my low back pain. I already knew I had scoliosis in my lumbar spine (see Scoliosis and Yoga: The Big Picture) but I was wondering what was going on with my lumbar joints. Sure enough, I had serious arthritis in my two lowest lumbar joints. While discussing this with my chiropractor, who is also a yoga practitioner, I asked if hanging upside down would be good for me. (By hanging upside down, I mean supporting my pelvis in a full inverted position, not just hanging in Downward-Facing Dog from a strap around some door knobs.) I knew that reversing gravity for the spine can make space there and provide relief. And this could be a really good counter activity to do after my gardening sessions. She said she thought that was an excellent idea! But when I asked her about preferred equipment for this, she said she had no idea. 

So today I'm asking for your help, dear readers! For once, you get to answer the question. What is your recommendation (and feel free to use brand names, etc.) for a simple setup I can use in my house so I can hang upside down on a regular basis. Yes, I know about the Iyengar-style wall ropes, but I'm not sure I want anything that elaborate (though I wouldn't mind hearing about where to get those). Isn't there some kind of pelvic sling you can attach to a wall? (I'm not looking for anything where I hang from my ankles, by the way.)

Leave replies in the comments section or email me at nina at wanderingmind dot com.

Thanks so much,

Nina



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