Here is a post from another group from a MT. I tried attaching the picture from it but this site seems to be allergic to my attempts at adding .jpg files...
"Yes, the benefits of Incline Bed Therapy are beyond awesome.
When we sleep at night, even in a normal horizontal position, we remove the compression aspect of gravity on our spinal discs. They will rehydrate and absorb fluid and become slightly plump again. A bit like putting air into a deflated balloon.
To understand how this is important to us, and why IBT works so well, to the effect of curing wheel-chaired patients with nerve injuries requires us to understand a little about the spine and nerves.
The spinal nerves exit the spine via half circle openings in the top and bottom of each vertebra call Intervertebral foramen. The distance between the top and bottom foramen is regulated by our spinal discs.
As we age the spinal discs that manage this most important task for us loose their ability to rehydrate as well as they did when we were in our youth. When we are in an upright position, gravity is compressing these discs, and by the end of the day they have lost a little of their hydration and plumpness and the space in the foramen narrows, thus risking putting stress and pressure to the exiting spinal nerves.
When we sleep inclined, not only is the pressure reduced so the disc can rehydrate, it is reversed and a slight traction comes into play opening the spine up. IBT will gently pull the vertebra apart which means more fluid will enter the spinal discs and far better cushioning and distance is maintained between the vertebra. Over time, (6 months +) its a bit like getting a new backbone.
The body can heal and rebuild the nerve system much easier in this state of spinal lengthening. It can even help rebuild damaged discs and damaged nerves (no surgery needed). Thus we see some reports of wheel-chaired patients seeing their back and spine heal to the point they can throw out the chair and get a normal life again.
And to think we get all this for free :-)))
Enjoy your new back and spine! So long as you keep yourself inclined 4 inches to 8 inches your entire body and all the functions in it will continue to serve you well past your 100's
And we haven't even gone into the detox and heart value and the many other almost miraculous aspects IBT provides.
Professional health services aren't going to push IBT. I puts many health services out of work for its ability to restore health to the entire body and also helps to optimizes all system of the body.
I can't think of anything more important or valuable for people to know and utilize.
We don't want to go too high an incline with IBT otherwise we loose the myofascial trauma reduction effects IBT provides.
While the spinal traction is low and mild, it posses no threat or stress to the body, and the body can relax and "let-go" very easily. If we incline our beds too much, then the traction increases and a level of stress is introduced to the body and muscles have to slightly tighten to maintain skeletal integrity. We loose much of the benefits of the zero stress traction.
I have found 4 to 7 inches is perfect for my damaged back (nolonger damaged, it repaired itself :-) ... 8 inches and above is getting a bit too much for me and very slight stresses come into play. Currently my bed is set to 4 inches and this is where I have left it for over 12 months now.
Like most "real" healing arts, we are all going to be a little different and will find our own level of best comfort."
