Is inversion or hanging better for back pain?

Good question, and the honest answer is: they're not really the same thing, so it's less about which is "better" and more about which fits how your body likes to be moved. Full inversion (hanging upside down) uses gravity in a strong, fixed way - the whole body flips and stays there. Gravity Stretching works differently. You hang in soft lianas that hold your full weight while a trainer guides you through gentle positions and movement, often only partially inverted or not inverted at all, always at your own pace. Movement follows the breath, and nothing is forced.

The mechanism is the same simple idea either way: gravity presses you down all day, compressing everything between your vertebrae. Hanging reverses that pull instead of adding to it, so space comes back and pressure comes off. Think of a spinal disc like a sponge - give it room and it soaks up moisture again.

What tends to matter more than the angle is how gradual and controlled it is. Full fixed inversion can feel intense right away for a body that isn't used to hanging. In a guided class, everything starts small - a few seconds at a time - and builds only when the body feels ready for more. Most people feel lighter after the very first class, and a stable pattern of relief usually builds over about ten classes, with regular short sessions doing more than one long one.

If you're ever in Bali, our studio in the Canggu area runs small guided classes where you can feel the difference for yourself: https://bookgravity.com/canggu

This is a wellness practice, not medical treatment - if pain is severe, shoots down a leg, or comes with numbness or weakness, please have that looked at by a qualified professional first.