Whether you have chronic back pain or only feel low back some of the time — say, after sitting at your desk for a long time — you’ve probably cracked your back to relieve the pain and noticed how good it felt. But have you ever wondered why cracking your back feels good? Or what reduces the pain? And now that you’re thinking about it, is it safe to crack your back at home? And can you crack it too much?
What Happens When You Crack Your Back?
Your spinal column is made of bones called vertebrae, and your vertebrae are connected by synovial joints. Synovial joints connect bones and cartilage throughout your body and are what help you bend and twist. There’s a space inside the synovial joint (the synovial cavity) filled with synovial fluid, which protects the ends of your bones while you move.
When you crack your back, you’re moving the ends of your back joints in opposite directions. Your joints naturally resist this movement until they can’t, causing them to separate slightly, a process known as tribonucleation.
As the joints separate, you hear a popping or cracking sound, just like when you crack your neck or knuckles. Though the general consensus is that sound is caused by gas bubbles in the synovial fluid popping, some research suggests that it may be the sound of the gas bubbles forming.
Why Back Cracking Feels Good
So, why does cracking your back feel good?
First, whether you were trying to crack your back or not, you were likely stretching the muscles, like sitting at your desk and stretching your arms up or lying on the floor and rotating your hips and lower back. The simple act of stretching releases endorphins while reducing tension and stress in the muscles.
Second, when you crack your back, you’re releasing pressure in your joints, which feels good, even if you didn’t realize you were tense or stressed. Finally, the audible popping sound may trigger a feeling of relief because it sounds like you’ve accomplished something by cracking the joint. That’s not to say that hearing your joints crack is a placebo effect. Many people feel better even when there’s no audible release of pressure because they’ve still released stress and tension from the joint.
Can You Crack Your Back at Home?
You’ve probably unintentionally cracked your back at home, like when you stretch after sitting for a long time, and your back happens to make a popping sound. Sometimes you feel a need to crack your back, so you twist and stretch until it does.
In general, it’s normal for joints to make popping sounds as we move, and is nothing to worry about. However, if your joints pop frequently or the cracking sound is accompanied by pain, talk to your doctor.
Likewise, you can safely crack your back when you need temporary relief for low back pain or muscle strain. But if you feel the need to crack your back several times a day and the pain persists, you should see a physician to rule out a more serious condition and address the underlying cause of your pain.
To be clear, cracking your back at home is not the same as a chiropractic adjustment to crack your back. Chiropractors use force and quick movements to crack your back and are trained to use these lower back adjustment techniques safely. Trying to perform a chiropractic adjustment at home could result in injury.
At-home back cracking uses gentle stretching motions. For example, you can try a lower back rotational stretch. Lie on your back and bend your knees to put your feet flat on the floor. Rotate your bent knees to one side and then the other while keeping your shoulders on the floor. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds, then stretch the other way. Your back may or may not pop, but the gentle stretching motion should provide some relief.
Can I Crack My Back Too Much?
While there’s no medical consensus that you can crack your back too much, daily back cracking may not be advisable.
As you crack your back, you’re separating your joints, stretching them past their normal range of motion. This also stretches the ligaments that surround the joint, and regular back cracking can elongate or sprain the ligaments. Over time, the ligaments can lose their ability to hold your joints in the right place, leading to instability or osteoarthritis.
What Happens If It Hurts When You Crack Your Back?
Cracking your back should reduce your pain, not increase it. But if pain persists after cracking your back, you may have injured yourself.
Forcing your joints in opposite directions requires your muscles and tendons to stretch, something they may not be used to, so the pain may be a pulled muscle. In more serious cases, you may have injured the muscle, pinched a nerve, or herniated a disc. In rare cases, it’s possible to injure a blood vessel.
If the pain is mild, rest and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications (like an NSASID) can improve how you feel, but more severe pain should be evaluated by a doctor.
Keep Cracking
As a rule, it’s fine to crack your back at home, especially if it reduces your pain and makes you feel good. But if your at-home cracking is accompanied by pain or no longer provides the relief it once did, consult with a medical professional to find out what’s going on.
A misaligned spine often causes low back pain, and while cracking your back at home can reduce your symptoms, it’s not a long-term solution. Chiropractic adjustments can realign your spine and reduce your pain more effectively than cracking your back. Schedule an appointment at Flourish Chiropractic Spa today and find relief.
