Is It Bad To Crack Your Back?

When your back is feeling tight, that cracking sound and sensation you get when you twist or stretch it just right can offer such satisfying relief. But sweet relief aside, is it bad to crack your back or get someone else to crack it for you? Here’s what you should know.

What exactly is the cracking?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the joints between the vertebrae in your spine are filled with slippery connective tissue which gives your spine the strength and flexibility to move with ease. When those joints are fatigued or overused, you can end up with a build-up of gas and pressure inside the joint. 

This sense of pressure or tightness can often be felt and is the reason why people voluntarily twist in their chairs or lean backwards for relief. Give your back a good stretch, twist or hands-on manipulation and voila - you hear and feel that crack as the built-up gas escapes the joint.

So is it bad to crack your back?

Cracking your back every now and then is natural and something everyone experiences even accidentally, and generally it isn’t anything to worry about. The Cleveland Clinic says what can be cause for concern is how often you feel the need to crack your back, how you’re doing it, and if you feel pain or discomfort during it. 

If you’re feeling tension in your back regularly throughout the day or are cracking your back multiple times a day for relief, these are signs from your body that you should pay attention to. Seeing a professional like a physiotherapist is always the best way to go for advice, but you may already know that the tension is caused by long stints spent sitting, muscle overuse and a lack of rest, or a training routine that is straining your back. 

How you crack your back can also be the difference between a harmless stretch and a long-term injury. Gently stretching your own body is a lower-risk option as you can feel your own limits of discomfort and know when to stop. Receiving spinal manipulation from a trained professional can be another safe option. Getting a friend or family member to do it? Not so much.

Having someone crack your back with improper technique or excessive force can be a recipe for muscle strains, broken ribs, herniated discs, pinched nerves, or inflamed or unstable joints. It sounds like a no-brainer, but so many of us have had the experience of asking someone who definitely wasn’t qualified for the job to “crack our back” for us. Our advice? Leave this one to the professionals!

Finally, if cracking your back feels painful or uncomfortable, see a professional for advice and support as the movements required to crack your back yourself could make any injuries worse. Likewise, if you’re experiencing back pain and think that cracking your back will relieve or solve it, there is no scientific evidence to support this, and research reviews have highlighted that spinal manipulation therapy has no statistical or clinical advantage over other treatment options such as general practitioner care, physical therapy, exercises and painkillers.

If you do choose to make spinal manipulation part of your treatment plan, Physiopedia highlights evidence showing it is more effective when combined with other physical exercise.

Which stretches can relieve back tension? 

If you’re feeling some low-level tension in your back and wanting some relief, remember to try and stay active throughout the day - even if it’s just getting up and briefly moving around or stretching every half an hour or so. Think like bite-sized exercise snacks!

Switching from a seated desk to a standing desk can also help, or enjoying dedicated recovery sessions or yoga flows from the Sweat app each week - especially if you’re working out regularly. For more targeted stretches, here are five of our favourites. 

Supine twist

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring your hips and knees are together. Imprint your spine into the mat and bring your legs into tabletop position, ensuring that your knees are stacked over your hips, your toes are pointed, and your shins are parallel to (in line with) the floor. This is your starting position.

2. Slowly lower your knees to the left, elevating your right hip off the mat.

3. Use your abdominals to press your right hip into the floor and return to the starting position.

4. Slowly lower your knees to the right, elevating your left hip off the mat.

5. Use your abdominals to press your left hip into the floor and return to the starting position. You can either perform this as a dynamic stretch, gently rotating from side to side, or as a static stretch, holding for 30-60 seconds on each side.

Seated twist

1. Begin in a seated position on a yoga mat with your legs extended out in front of you and feet flexed. Lift your left leg and place your foot on the mat on the outside of your right knee. 

2. Wrap your right arm around your left knee and place your left hand on the mat behind your hip, gently pulling your knee in towards your chest.

3. Hold this position for the specified amount of time, breathing deeply throughout. 

4. Repeat this stretch on the other side.

Cat cow 

1. Start on all fours on a yoga mat. Ensure that your knees are below your hips and your hands are below your shoulders. Set your spine in a neutral position and draw your shoulder blades down and back. Gently draw your ribs to your hips to engage your core. This is your starting position.

2. Lift your chin and allow your stomach to sink towards the floor. Create space between your shoulders and ears by drawing your shoulder blades down and back. This is called Cow.

3. Press your hands and knees into the mat, draw your chin to your chest and draw your stomach in to curl your spine. This is called Cat. Return to a neutral spine and repeat.

Cobra

1. Start by lying flat on your stomach on a yoga mat, resting your forearms on the mat on either side of your chest.

2. Press your forearms into the floor and slowly lift your chest off the mat. Draw your shoulder blades down and back while ensuring that your head is an extension of your spine.

3. Hold this position, breathing deeply throughout.

4. For a more intense stretch, you can also push up to rest on your hands rather than your forearms.

World’s greatest stretch

1. Start in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart.

2. Take a big step forward with your left foot to come into a deep lunge with your right leg extended behind you, resting on the ball of your foot with your right knee lifted off the ground. Make sure your left knee remains stacked over your ankle.

3. Place both hands on the floor on the inside of your left foot and hold the stretch for three to five seconds, breathing deeply throughout.

4. Keeping your right leg extended with your knee elevated off the floor, release your left hand and reach your arm up towards the ceiling, rotating your torso towards your left knee and turning your gaze up towards your left hand. 

5. Hold this position for the specified amount of time, breathing deeply throughout. Repeat this stretch on the other side.

We’ve got your back

Leading an active lifestyle and incorporating strength training in your routine can go a long way towards keeping your body limber, mobile and pain-free. Even if you’ve only got 15-20 minutes to move your body and no equipment, we’ve got plenty of options in the Sweat app to make it easy.