When will I feel benefits?
Some may feel the benefits right away, some over a period of 2-3 weeks of routine use. The key is getting your body to relax and release, which may take some time until you become comfortable with inverting.
Will I get dizzy?
The sensation of blood rushing to your head will ease as you get used to inverting. You can prevent dizziness upon rotating upright if you pause just above horizontal to allow your body to re-adjust.
What do I do upside down?
Many people simply kick back and relax. Others incorporate movement and stretching to maximize the benefits. Some even exercise to strengthen the core and legs. The Instructional DVD and Healthy Back Routines will show you how!
How often should I invert?
Frequency is more important than duration. We recommend inverting several times a day. Inversion is great for waking-up, recovering after a workout, or de-stressing before bed.
How long should I invert?
Several minutes is all most people need to fully decompress. Listen to your body.
How does it work?
Inverting with a Teeter allows you to target back pain at the source naturally, using your body weight and gravity to elongate and relax tense muscles while decompressing your spine and weight-bearing joints.
Teeter website is an SSL certified website that enables an encrypted connection for data sent to and from the website such as your credit card number, name, address and other sensitive information. It also certifies that Teetertv.ca is actually who we claim to be and operated by its true owners. This can be seen by the lock symbol displayed in your browser. Teeter takes steps beyond this by integrating the Norton Shopping Guarantee which independently guarantees the shopping experience for total peace of mind over your purchase.
Upon checkout, you have the option to select a multi or single pay option.
Inversion tables look similar, they must be the same…right? In side by side comparisons of inversion tables, consumers may have a difficult time identifying the differences between Teeter and competing brands in regards to materials and features that are vital to their security and product longevity. What factors make Teeter the best choice for you and your family?
There are currently no adequate government regulations to effectively oversee the structural integrity or reliable function of inversion tables. Consumers have the daunting task of sorting through options and selecting the best inversion table, a confusing process because many manufacturers use terms like “safe” and “heavy duty” without substantiation. Below is how Teeter validates our quality claims and what you must consider before buying an inversion table:
Certification Marks:
Underwriter’s Laboratories, a renowned independent product safety certification organization, has introduced safety testing and certification requirements specifically for inversion tables in UL 1647. Currently, Teeter offers the only inversion tables on the market to have passed these specifications, which test the unique function of the inversion table and simulate “real world” use.
- Learn more about UL 1647
Top Ratings in Comparison Studies:
In engineering reviews comparing competing brands of inversion tables, Teeter was rated Number 1 across all categories of evaluation:
- Static Load Test – How much weight the inversion table holds.
- Functional Endurance Test – How many times the table cycles from upright to inverted and returning upright again.
- Ease of Assembly – Time from opening the box to the product being operational.
- Ease of Rotation – Required effort to balance and cycle the inversion table.
- Ease of Lockout In Full Inversion – Required effort to fully invert and have the table lock in to that position.
In fact, during these tests that simulated actual use, all four competing brands experienced catastrophic failure resulting from torn or broken metal at 12% or less of the UL 1647 standard of 30,000 cycles. Teeter remained structurally sound for over 27 years, exceeding the cycles standard by 133% before the test was stopped for time.
Specialized & Patented Features
One inversion table may look the same as the next, but buyer beware–looks may be deceiving. What may not be immediately obvious are vital design features for user protection and reliable function. Teeter inversion tables offer more specialized features than any other home-use model including auto-locking hinges to prevent accidental separation of the bed from the base during stretching or exercise, special squeak-free roller bearings and the ability to customize your inversion experience with accessories. Teeter uses proper welding methods as opposed to cheaper spot welding commonly used by competing models. High stress points on the equipment are reinforced with heat-treated steel, resulting in better durability and security for the user.
No Skimping
Be wary of lighter weight inversion tables – less weight often equates to less steel. Components made from thinner tubing, cheaper materials and with less of a support structure may look fine, but may be shortcuts that compromise quality and user security. Bulky inversion tables can also be deceiving – features like padded bed frames or tube diameter can weigh more, but that increase in bulk doesn’t equate to a stronger table or better engineering. Teeter Inversion Tables stand apart from others in the marketplace because we understand the essential engineering needed to make a truly exceptional inversion table. We put extra steel in the key components where it matters!
Stability
Teeter inversion tables feature a base to height stability ratio 20% greater than other competing models, on average. The smaller the ratio, the greater the risk of product instability. Teeter’s tapered A-frame design and corner feet not only look good, but provide a reassuring foundation whether you’re doing sit ups, stretching or oscillation.
Manufacturing Experience
Since 1981, Teeter is the only company in the world to continuously produce inversion equipment, building a reputation for incomparable quality standards, testing and marketing efforts. With the passion that comes from his own recovery credited to inversion, Roger Teeter has built a company where excellent customer service and quality are paramount. You can put your trust in the experience behind Teeter, the most enduring brand of home-use inversion products on the market.
Built for the Benefits
Our engineers consult with doctors, chiropractors, athletes, independent engineers, and consumers to ensure that our inversion tables withstand the scrutiny of the most discriminating users. Over the years, Teeter inversion tables have benefited from over 100 design evolutions to improve ease of use and achieve better results. The introduction of our patented Flex Technology design featured on the EP and Contour-Series is just one example – the flexible bed moves with you, accommodating stretching for greater range of motion to promote realignment and relax muscles. The ComforTrak bed design accommodates our Acupressure Nodes and Lumbar Bridge accessories which provide our customer with a customized inversion experience. Precision balancing allows the table to rotate without over-acceleration and respond to simple arm movements for smooth oscillation, which encourages fluid exchange in the discs and joint soft tissue.
Teeter is the only company to continuously manufacture inversion equipment since 1981. Teeter is the inversion market leader, the premier brand of quality inversion products for home, clinical and commercial fitness use.
Teeter is a family run business. Roger and Jennifer Teeter grew the business for nearly three decades before turning over day-to-day operations to their daughter, Rylie Teeter Leier, who has honored their work ethic and tenacity by making Teeter a household name and continuing to instill the highest of quality standards on the production line.
Teeter corporate offices are located in Puyallup in Washington State, about 20 minutes east of Tacoma and 40 minutes south of Seattle. An amazing view of Mount Rainier right outside our windows reminds us how lucky we are to live in the Northwest.
Yes! All Teeter Decompression Devices are FDA Cleared.
Teeter has had FDA classification for decades, but after a thorough review by the FDA in 2016, we are now authorized to treat an expanded list of common back pain conditions including:
- Back pain
- Muscle tension
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spinal degenerative joint disease
- Spinal stenosis
- Herniated disc
- Spinal curvature due to tight muscles
- Sciatica
- Muscle spasm
- Facet syndrome
To review FDA clearance documentation, click here.
Teeter was founded in 1981 by Roger Teeter and his wife Jennifer, who have invested much of their lives educating people around the world about the benefits of inversion therapy.Roger first heard about inversion at a water ski tournament. At the time, he was suffering from severe back problems resulting from an auto accident and the toll of water skiing professionally. On worst mornings, Roger would have to crawl to the bathroom to run hot water over his back so that he could function throughout the day. He also wore a large brace with metal rods to support his back every time he skied for 5 years! Roger finally discovered that by inverting, he was able to relieve his back pain and begin the road to recovery.
Roger benefited so much from inversion therapy that he decided to start a company dedicated to manufacturing high quality inversion products. Sky’s the Limit (STL) entered the inversion market in 1981 with Hang Ups brand gravity boots and inversion tables, now widely known as Teeter. For over 35 years, Teeter has been widely recognized as the leader, innovator and quality pioneer within the inversion equipment market.
Roger Teeter is a graduate engineer of the University of Wisconsin. He has over 50 years of experience in the development of fitness and sports equipment. In addition to inversion products, he has led the company in over 200 projects to develop new products for other companies including many medical and dental items. Roger was recently recognized by the American Water Ski Education Foundation for his pioneering design contributions.
1. Be sure you read the Owner’s Manual that comes attached to your Teeter, which offers very helpful and important instructions on how to adjust and use the inversion table properly.
2. Watch the Instructional DVD, which not only walks you through adjusting and using the inversion table, but also demonstrates what you can do while inverted.
3. Check out the answers to our most frequently asked questions about inversion under “Product Use” along the top of this page.
4. Call Teeter customer service or click “Let’s Chat” on the lower right of your screen (during business hours) we’re happy to help! 800.847.0143 (8am-4pm, M-F).
Practically anyone can benefit from using a Teeter on a regular basis. Most normally healthy individuals are able to invert. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program and refer to the contraindications list below.
Conditions applying to inversion devices (also included in the product Owner’s Manual)
DO NOT use until approved by a licensed physician. Inversion is contraindicated in any medical or health condition that may be made more severe by an elevation of blood pressure, intracranial pressure or mechanical stress of the inverted position, or that may impact your ability to operate the equipment. This may include injury or illness, but also the side effects of any drug or supplement (prescribed or over-the-counter). Specific conditions may include, but not be limited to:
- Any condition, neurological or otherwise, which results in unexplained tingling, weakness or neuropathy, seizure, sleep disorder, lightheadedness, dizziness, disorientation, or fatigue, or impacts strength, mobility, alertness, or cognitive ability;
- Any brain condition, such as trauma, history of intracranial bleed, history or risk of TIA or stroke, or severe headaches;
- Any condition of the heart or circulatory system, such as high blood pressure, hypertension, increased risk of stroke, or use of anticoagulants (including high doses of aspirin);
- Any bone, skeletal or spinal cord condition or injury, such as significant spinal curvature, acutely swollen joints, osteoporosis, fractures, dislocations, medullary pins or surgically implanted orthopedic supports;
- Any eye, ear, nasal or balance condition, such as trauma, history of retinal detachment, glaucoma, optic hypertension, chronic sinusitis, middle or inner ear disease, motion sickness, or vertigo;
- Any digestive or internal condition, such as severe acid reflux, hiatal or other hernia, gallbladder or kidney disease;
- Any condition for which exercise is specifically directed, limited or prohibited by a physician, such as pregnancy, obesity, or recent surgery.
Because you are hanging by your ankles, you may experience some mild discomfort, especially after longer inversion sessions. Here are some tips for improving ankle comfort while inverted:
- Proper Footwear: Make sure you wear socks with lace-up shoes – the material will provide added cushion and support for the ankles.
- Cup Position: Rotate the rear ankle cups slightly downward before you secure the ankle lock system. As you invert, they will rotate to support the back of your heels.
- Ankle Comfort Dial: Adjust the foot platform so that there is minimal space between the top of your foot and the platform. The less your body “shifts” when you invert, the better.
- Proper Fit: Adjust the ankle lock system snug enough so you’re secure, but don’t clamp it super tight – this will restrict blood flow and cause discomfort.
- Change It Up: Try oscillation and intermittent traction. It may take days or even weeks to get comfortable with inversion, but you will soon adapt to the feeling.
Most people find they are able to use the standard ankle system with success by following these tips; however, there is another option for people who need more support. Some Teeter inversion tables can be adapted for use with EZ-Up Gravity Boots. With soft foam liners and a flexible shell, the Gravity Boots wrap comfortably around the ankles for greater support during inversion.
EVERYTHING you need to know is in the Owner’s Manual attached to your Teeter. It’s a must read before you get started!
The key to getting results is to start slowly – don’t do too much too soon! Set your angle tether to just 20-30 degrees and invert for only 1-2 minutes. Let your body get used to the feeling. Increase your time and angle gradually over a period of a few weeks.
Most users will find better results with shorter, more frequent sessions than longer sessions done infrequently.
Some people may be nervous about rotating upside down for the first time, but if you keep these tips in mind, you’ll be a pro before you know it:
- Pre-set the Angle: To begin, set your tether to a modest angle of 20-30 degrees so you know that the inversion table will stop rotation barely beyond horizontal. You can then focus on relaxing and adjusting to inversion.
- Enlist a Spotter: Ask a friend to stand near the inversion table until you are comfortable with controlling its rotation.
- Breathe: Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to help your body relax. It may take a few inversion sessions before you are able to overcome your automatic “flight or fight” response – be patient and keep working at it. Getting your muscles to release is the only way you will begin to experience the benefits.
- Listen to Your Body: Only do what is comfortable to you. Inversion is not a “no pain, no gain” activity. What works for others may not be ideal for you. If you feel you’ve had enough, return upright to rest.
- Prevent Dizziness/Nausea: When returning upright, be sure to stop at the horizontal position (0 degrees) for 15-30 seconds or more. This allows your inner ear to readjust to being upright, and it also allows your back to “recompress” gently. Wait for a while after you’ve eaten before inverting.
- Make Changes Gradually: Increase your angle and/or duration of inversion in small increments.
- Do It Often! Inverting on a regular basis is how you will experience the most benefits.
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