KONI gets inversion tables

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta fitness center Fitness Station has donated 35 inversion tables to the National Sports Council (KONI) to help Indonesia's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games athletes recover after heavy training.

There are 35 tables because Indonesia will compete in 35 sports.

"Each sport controlling administration will get one inversion table to help its athletes recover their stamina after a series of training sessions," KONI's chief sports doctor, Suhantoro, said yesterday.

Suhantoro said the principle behind inversion racks was not new but based on the ancient Greek's concept of reversing gravity.

To relive back pain ancient Greek doctors hung patients upside down by tying their feet to the top of a ladder.

In the 1960s inversion became more accessible with the invention of gravity boots and inversion racks.

Suhantoro cited boxer Pino Bahari as an athlete who had overcome long-term chronic back pain by using an inversion table.

Pino was a gold medal winner at the Seoul Asian Games and an Olympic hopeful. But back pain forced him to stop training for the Atlanta Olympics.

After a four months therapy, including using an inversion table, his back pain went away and he was able to win a gold medal for Bali at the National Games in the lightweight division.

KONI's chief, Wismoyo Arismunandar, who accepted the donation from the Fitness Station's chief, Billy Santosa, said he was "happy to get such a helping hand which could later help KONI to keep its athletes in good shape for the SEA Games."

Inversion tables combated the three primary causes of back pain: gravity, weak muscles or poor flexibility and stress," Billy said.

"Besides relieving back pain, which many athletes may suffer after heavy training, there are many other advantages including increased blood circulation, lymph and spinal fluid," he said. (rsl)