Inversion therapy is an ancient way of decompressing and reducing stress on the spine. The discs between the bones of the spine are quite soft and gravity naturally compresses them over the years. It’s one of the reasons we often lose height as we age. The discs get smaller and more compressed over time – they can even leak and irritate surrounding nerves. Decompressing your spine by lying or hanging upside down allows the discs to expand. It also reduces nerve pressure and allows the spine to realign.