A viral fitness trend in China has stunned viewers worldwide: elderly people hanging by their necks in parks. Popularised in Shenyang by a 57-year-old man seeking relief from neck pain, this unconventional “neck-hanging exercise” is claimed to improve spinal health and sleep. Despite growing popularity among China's seniors, medical experts warn of serious risks, including paralysis and death. With social media fuelling its spread, this trend exposes the tension between folk remedies, cultural beliefs, and modern medical advice.