Health guide
Is Teeter the Best Inversion Table? Here's What Joe Rogan Actually Said
By the IntoInversion teamUpdated
- 8 sources
- 9 min read
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Is Teeter the best inversion table? Plenty of pages answer that by pointing at Joe Rogan, so we read the full transcript of the episode Teeter itself cites, line by line; we did not test any of these products, and we may earn a commission if you buy through a link on this page, which does not change what the transcript says.
What Joe Rogan Actually Said About Teeter on JRE #1474
The Episode and the Context
The conversation is on episode #1474 of The Joe Rogan Experience, with Dr. Rhonda Patrick as guest, which aired in May 2020 (JRE #1474, 2020). It is a long episode, mostly about immunity, sauna use and nutrition. The Teeter part comes roughly an hour and 25 minutes in, while Rogan describes the recovery equipment in his gym.
He starts with the reverse hyper, a machine created by the powerlifting coach Louie Simmons. Rogan explains that Simmons designed it after a herniated disc, on the reasoning that if a disc could be compressed, “something can decompress it.” Then he moves on: “And then there’s another thing by Teeter.”
That is the setting. Rogan is not reviewing inversion tables or comparing brands. He is walking a guest through the back-care tools he personally uses.
The Exact Words
Here is the core of what he says about Teeter, taken from the transcript. The ”…” marks only skip the timestamps and short interjections between his sentences:
“Teeter has two things that are really cool. … It has those inversion tables, which are great for, you know, the same thing. … You’re hanging by your ankles and it’s decompressing your spine. … But I actually prefer this product from them because this completely isolates the back. … And you’re not pulling on your knees and your ankles when you’re decompressing.”
“This product” is the DEX II, the decompression device he had just described. A moment later he sums it up: “It’s all just decompressing the back.” He adds that “it’s a great machine and it’s just really specifically good for back health, lower back health, decompressing it, and even strengthening it.”
So the praise is real, and it is about Teeter. But read it carefully and the ranking is clear.
What He Didn’t Say
In that segment, Rogan never says Teeter makes the best inversion table. He does not mention any other inversion table brand, so there is no comparison to quote. He does not name a FitSpine model, a generation, or a year. He does not recommend inversion to listeners as a treatment.
That matters, because the original version of this page claimed that Teeter was his “go-to choice” according to “one of his recent podcasts.” We could not find a source for that line, so we removed it. The accurate version is narrower: one identified episode, one clear preference, and it is not for an inversion table.
The Surprise: Joe Rogan Prefers the DEX II, Not an Inversion Table
How the DEX II Differs From an Inversion Table
Teeter sells the DEX II as a training system, listed alongside its inversion tables (Teeter). Rogan’s own description of how it works is simple: “You strap your ankles into it and you hang from the waist.” He adds that the user holds the handles to lower down, then relaxes, and “all your weight is decompressing the spine.”
An inversion table works differently. You lie on a bed, your ankles are locked in, and the whole table rotates backward until you hang head down at the angle you set. Your body weight hangs from your ankles, which is exactly the detail Rogan points out: “You’re hanging by your ankles.”
So the two devices aim at the same goal, taking load off the spine, but they put the strain in different places. On a full inversion table, your knees and ankles carry the pull. On the DEX II, as Rogan describes it, you hang forward from the hips.
Why “Isolates the Back” Matters to Him
Rogan’s reason for the preference is about comfort and focus, not about results. He says the DEX II “completely isolates the back” and that “you’re not pulling on your knees and your ankles when you’re decompressing.”
He also likes that it doubles as a gym tool. He mentions leg extensions, dips and back extensions, and ties it to a point he makes to his guest: what protects the lower back is “muscle and strength and also flexibility.” For someone who trains hard, a device that decompresses and strengthens in the same spot makes sense.
None of that is a verdict on inversion tables. It is one person explaining why one product suits his routine better than another.
What That Does and Doesn’t Mean for You
If your knees or ankles complain when you hang upside down, Rogan’s point is worth hearing. A device that shifts the load to the hips is a different experience from hanging by your ankles.
If your joints are fine, his preference tells you little about which inversion table to buy. He is not comparing inversion tables with each other. And since he does not say which model he means when he mentions Teeter’s tables, his words cannot settle whether the X1, X3 or LX9 is the right one. For that, the spec sheet is the better guide.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The “I Swear by It” Quote
Teeter’s own blog post about Rogan quotes him as saying “I use [the DEX II] every day…I swear by it,” attributed to “JRE #1474 + MMA Show #93” (Teeter). We searched the full JRE #1474 transcript for that line, including “swear” and “every day” in the Teeter segment, and did not find it there.
That does not mean Rogan never said it. Teeter cites a second show, MMA Show #93, and we could not find a transcript of that episode to check. The square brackets around “the DEX II” also suggest the quote was edited to name the product. What we can say is limited to what we read: the line is not in episode #1474.
Which Inversion Table, if Any, He Owns
In the segment we read, the Teeter device Rogan says he has at his gym (“I have that outside as well”) is the DEX II. He speaks well of Teeter’s inversion tables, but he does not say which model he owns, or whether he owns one at all in that passage.
A Celebrity Opinion Is Not Clinical Evidence
A podcast host’s preference is a personal experience, not a clinical result. For the evidence itself, the most thorough summary we know of is a Cochrane review published in 2013: across 32 trials, traction, alone or with other treatment, made little or no difference to pain, function or return to work in low-back pain (Wegner, 2013). That covered traction in general, not inversion tables specifically. We go through the rest of the research, the promising and the disappointing, in our guide to what inversion tables can and can’t do, and the risks in our page on who shouldn’t hang upside down.
So, Is Teeter the Best Inversion Table?
Where Teeter Stands Out
Set Rogan aside and look at the record. Three things put Teeter ahead of most of the market.
First, regulation. The FDA cleared Teeter’s manual inversion table through the 510(k) process under number K162702, decided in December 2016 (FDA, 2016). The device type, non-powered traction apparatus, is a Class I device in the FDA’s scheme, its lowest-risk class (FDA).
A 510(k) means the FDA found the table substantially equivalent to a device already on the market. It is not proof that inversion works, but the FDA only regulates the tables whose makers claim a medical use, and most makers do not (Kassay, 2023).
Second, the warranty. Teeter includes a five-year full warranty on the FitSpine X1, covering defects in materials, workmanship, fabrics and padding (Teeter), and the same five years applies across the X1, X3 and LX9.
Third, angle control. The FitSpine X3 and LX9 have their tether marked at 20, 40 and 60 degrees, so you choose a shallow angle before you tip back rather than guessing upside down. For a first-time user, that is a practical safety feature.
Where Teeter Isn’t the Best Fit
“Best” depends on the buyer, and there are clear cases where Teeter is not the answer.
- You want heat or massage. The FitSpine tables do not come with heat or vibration as standard. Innova sells tables with heat and massage, and our Innova buying guide covers them.
- You weigh more than 300 lb. Teeter’s current tables are rated at 300 lb. Above that, look at the inversion tables rated for 400 lb instead.
- You are on a tight budget. The Teeter models with marked angles sit in the premium tier. Our roundup of the best inversion tables includes budget options that cover the basics.
Which Teeter to Look At First
If you want a Teeter inversion table, the model question already has its own page. Our Teeter inversion table reviews compare the X1, X3, LX9 and EP-560 side by side, spec by spec, so we won’t repeat that here.
The short version: for a Teeter buyer who expects to use the table for years, the X3 is the sensible first stop, because of the longer ankle-lock handle, the five-year warranty and the marked tether; the Innova ITX9600 costs less. If stepping into that lock is the hard part for you, our review of the Teeter LX9 and its boarding platform explains what the higher model adds. If Rogan’s reasoning fits you, our Teeter DEX II review reads the machine from its manual: 350 lb, forward rotation from the hips, and no load on the ankles.
Long ankle-lock handle, 5-year warrantyMaker source
Teeter FitSpine X3
by TEETER
Best for Teeter buyers who expect to use the table for years.
Skip it if you want heat or massage, or weigh more than 300 lb: Teeter's current tables are rated at 300 lb.
What the premium over a cheaper table buys is the longer ankle-lock handle, the 5-year warranty against Innova's 1 year, and a tether marked at 20°, 40° and 60°. The Innova ITX9600 also lets you set a limit with a pin whose degrees are listed in its manual, so a marked angle is not exclusive to Teeter.
- Weight limit
- 300 lb
- User height
- 4'8" to 6'6"
- Warranty
- 5 years
- Price range
- Premium
What we like
- Tether marked at 20°, 40° and 60°, set before you get on
- Five-year full warranty, against Innova's one year
- Teeter's tables are FDA 510(k) cleared under K162702
- EZ-Reach ankle lock with an extra-long handle
Keep in mind
- No heat or massage
- No raised boarding platform, unlike the LX9
- Rated to 300 lb, max height 6 ft 6 in
Full specs
- Price range
- Premium
- Weight capacity
- 300 lb
- User height
- 4'8" to 6'6"
- Angle control
- EZ-Angle tether marked at 20°, 40° and 60°; full inversion with secure lockout
- Ankle system
- Deluxe EZ-Reach ankle lock, extra-long handle, micro-adjusting closure
- Heat and massage
- None
- Warranty
- 5 years (extension to 10 sold separately)
- FDA
- 510(k) cleared (K162702), Class I device
Maker sourceFrom the maker's product page. Not stated means the maker publishes nothing.
We may earn a commission. It never changes which table we pick, or the order they appear in.
Who Shouldn’t Try Either One
Teeter’s Own Contraindication List
Whether you pick an inversion table or a device like the DEX II, the first question is medical, not brand. Teeter’s own list, which it says is also printed in the owner’s manual, tells users not to invert until a licensed physician approves if they have conditions made worse by higher blood pressure, pressure inside the skull, or the strain of the inverted position (Teeter).
The list is long. It includes high blood pressure, heart and circulatory conditions, blood thinners (including high doses of aspirin), glaucoma, a past retinal detachment, osteoporosis, fractures or orthopedic implants, hernias, severe acid reflux, pregnancy, obesity and recent surgery. It is the manufacturer’s precaution rather than a list of proven dangers, but it is the list your doctor will want to see.
Before Your First Session
Start at a shallow angle and keep the first sessions short. Our full guide to inversion table contraindications goes through each condition with the evidence behind it.
Rogan found a Teeter product that works for his back. That is a reasonable starting point for your own research, but the decision should rest on the spec sheet, the evidence, and your doctor’s advice.
Your questions, answered
Frequently Asked Questions
What inversion table does Joe Rogan use?
He never names a model in JRE #1474, the episode we checked line by line. The Teeter device he says he has at his gym is the DEX II, a decompression machine you hang from at the waist. He calls Teeter's inversion tables great for the same job, then says he prefers the DEX II because it spares the knees and ankles.
Is Teeter a good inversion table?
On the record, yes. Teeter holds an FDA 510(k) clearance for its manual inversion table (K162702), backs the FitSpine line with a five-year full warranty, and prints 20, 40 and 60 degree marks on the X3 and LX9 tether. It is a strong pick, though not the right one if you want built-in heat or need more than 300 lb of capacity.
Does the Teeter really work?
It does what it is built to do: hold you at a chosen angle so gravity pulls along the spine. Whether that eases pain is less certain. A Cochrane review of 32 traction trials found little or no benefit for low-back pain, and that was traction in general, not Teeter tables specifically. A celebrity endorsement does not change that picture.
8 sources used for this guide
Each linked to the original. Citations in the text jump here.
View sources
Joe Rogan, Rhonda Patrick. Joe Rogan Experience #1474 - Dr. Rhonda Patrick (episode transcript). jre.ai/episodes/1474-dr-rhonda-patrick/transcript.
Teeter. Joe Rogan On Teeter Inversion & Spinal Decompression. teeter.com/blog/joe-rogan-inversion/.
Wegner I, Widyahening IS, van Tulder MW et al. Traction for low-back pain with or without sciatica. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, CD003010.
FDA. 510(k) Premarket Notification K162702: Teeter Manual Inversion Table. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 510(k) database, decision date December 30, 2016.
FDA. Device classification, product code HST: Apparatus, Traction, Non-Powered. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, device classification database (openFDA), 21 CFR 888.5850.
Kassay A, Soliman MAR, Jhawar BS. Recommendations for inversion table therapy. Disability and Rehabilitation 2023;45(22):3779-3782.
Teeter. FitSpine X1 Inversion Table. teeter.com, product page.
Teeter. Are there health issues that would prevent me from inverting?. teeter.com, Support Center (the same list appears in the owner's manual).