Short-term cardiovascular adaptations to vertical head-down suspension.

Inversion devices have been advocated as means of therapy for patients with low back pain. The present investigation was undertaken to determine the cardiovascular responses to vertical head-down suspension with such a device. Eight men were monitored for three minutes in the upright and supine position, and for ten minutes in the vertical head-down position. Stroke volume (SV), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (QT), segmental arm blood flow …