Doctors Warn as 200 Million in China Risk Paralysis From "Neck-Hanging" Trend

Doctors Warn as 200 Million in China Risk Paralysis From "Neck-Hanging" Trend

A dangerous viral fitness trend is sending young people in China to the hospital, with doctors warning that hanging by the neck from a tree can cause permanent paralysis or stroke.

The practice, dubbed "neck-hanging exercise," involves people suspending their entire body weight by their head from tree branches. It is meant to mimic professional cervical traction therapy, a medical treatment for neck pain, but experts say the unsupervised version is extremely dangerous [122710].

Medical experts strongly warn that the trend can cause severe spinal damage, including ligament damage, paralysis, and stroke. Unlike professional therapy, which uses controlled, measured force applied by a specialist, this DIY version applies uncontrolled weight to the spine [122710].

The trend is exploding online just as China reports a sharp rise in cervical spine disorders. A 2024 official health report found that over 200 million people in the country suffer from such conditions. Alarmingly, more than 40% of those patients are under the age of 30 [122710].

Doctors are now urging people to stop immediately, stating that the risk of permanent, life-altering injury far outweighs any potential benefit [122710].