How to crack your back properly by yourself

The spine tends to have more range of motion from side-to-side than it does in extension, so rotation tends to be a safer or more forgiving motion. Use a foam roller. Rolling on a piece of firm foam is a good way to massage your back and it also increases the likelihood of cracking or popping some spinal joints, especially those in the mid back region thoracic. Foam rollers are commonly used in physiotherapy, yoga and pilates. Rotate your spine while sitting on the floor. Another way to rotate the lower half of your spine is to do it while sitting, which might feel more stable and easier to control.

You can also use your arms and hands to induce a little more rotation without having to swing your body, which is likely a little safer. Sit on the floor with one leg bent at the knee and the other leg extended — it does not matter which side you start with because you'll switch and do both sides a few times. With the foot of the bent leg on the ground, push with it and rotate your torso in the opposite direction, using your hands to stabilize you and induce more rotation. Try to look back over your shoulder on the same side as your bent knee.

Sit in a chair to get more leverage. Rotating your spine while sitting in a chair is helpful because you can grab parts of the chair to gain additional leverage and rotation. Spinal joints need to go slightly beyond their normal range of motion in order to crack, so using a chair to achieve that may be your best bet. While trying to keep your buttocks and legs in the same position, rotate as far as you can in one direction holding for a few seconds , then go in the other direction.

Breathe normally while doing this. Grab on to the sides or the top of the chair to gain more leverage — a wooden chair works well in this regard. In this position, your lower lumbar spine is the most likely to crack or release. Do a twisting stretch while lying on your back. Make sure the floor is cushioned or padded for the most comfort. Lie flat on your back on a cushioned floor, raise a leg to your chest while bending it at the knee. Then pull on the outside of your knee towards the floor with your opposite hand, which will create rotation in your lower back and hips.

This is a similar position that a chiropractor or osteopath will put you in for adjusting your low back and hips sacroiliac joints. Part 3. Stretch your back muscles first. Muscle tension in your back is often relieved with simple stretches without the spinal joints making cracking or popping sounds. Too much joint cracking may damage the joint tissues and accelerate a type of arthritis known as osteoarthritis the wear and tear type. Stretch your back by elongating your spine. Another type of stretch can be done while on your knees and facing the floor prone , which is similar to a yoga position known as the child's pose.

Extend your spine while standing. Extension of the spine is a movement that often creates a cracking sound, but your spinal column has fairly limited motion in this direction, so don't be too aggressive. No, it's not something you should intentionally try to do on your own. It's best to see a physical therapist to make sure that type of movement is safe.

Not Helpful 84 Helpful Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Lean back on a chair with your middle back on the top part. It gives a wonderful crack. Helpful 10 Not Helpful 2. Bend your back and turn your body both ways until you hear a crack. Remember to bend forward and repeat as well or you could damage your back. Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2. Don't crack your back so frequently more than a few times per day as it could lead to joint damage and spinal problems with time.

Helpful 4 Not Helpful 3. There are many resources on the web describing safe ways to "crack your back", from professionals such as chiropractors, physical therapists and osteopaths. However, none of them call it cracking. Instead, you should search for phrases like "how to adjust back", or "how to mobilize your lumbar spine. Helpful 3 Not Helpful 2. When using a foam roller, stretch your arms outward into a palm tree pose. This will usually give more pops to the spine.

Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2. If you or your partner start to feel pain especially if it's sharp or burning pain while trying to crack a spinal joint, stop immediately. Helpful Not Helpful Adjusting your own spine or others if you're untrained carries risks, so proceed conservatively and with caution. It's best to see a physical therapist to help you determine whether it's safe to crack your back. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. If you have conditions like osteoarthritis, osteopenia, or neurological issues such as weakness in your legs, you should not try to crack your back.

You Might Also Like How to. How to. Physical Therapist. Expert Interview. About This Article. Chair twist. Back extension. Standing lumbar extension. Upward stretch. Standing spinal rotation. Seated twist. Supine foam roller stretch. Supine twist. Supine shoulder blade stretch. How to crack your back video. Tips to practice. When not to crack your own back. The takeaway. Read this next. Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M. Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M.

Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. It is important to note that according to both Monica Vazquez, certified personal trainer and coach, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine, you should not use the foam roller on your lower back , and you can find the reasons for that, as well as other common mistakes when using foam roller, in my article about foam roller exercises for back pain.

Alternatively, you can lay back on the foam roller and while holding your head, roll back and forward to help relieve tension from your upper spine. One way to help relieve low back pain by cracking your back is to sit on the ground and gently rotate your spine.

The advantage of this to exercise to help relieve lower back pain is that you can use your arms to provide stability and extend your range of motion. When doing this, you may or may not hear an audible pop in your spine. You can pop your middle and lower back by gently stretching your spine as you lie forward on your knees. The beauty of this exercise is that it helps to relax and stretch your spine and also your hips and quads.

A gentle exercise to crack your back safely at home is to lay on your back and stretch your spine and back muscles. This can help to release tension in your back and help you pop your back by yourself.

For this exercise, you will need soft padding on the floor like a yoga mat or carpet. When doing exercises to crack your back, you should take note of certain precautions to prevent injury to your spine.

For example, the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association reported on a case where a person suffered back trauma. Doctors recommended that patients be educated regarding home remedies of all kinds.

It is also important not to habitually crack or pop your back. Your spinal joints are composed of soft tissue, ligaments, and tendons. If you continually put too much pressure on these joints, you can wear them out quicker.

Steven Yeomans, a chiropractor from Yeomans Chiropractic Center in Wisconsin, says that for some people, a gentle approach called spine mobilization should be used.

Sometimes, trying to crack or pop joints that are already inflamed can cause greater pain and possibly other complications. Depending on the type of back pain you have, it could be good to crack or pop your back by yourself. For example, occasionally cracking your back can help to relieve tension in your lower and middle back. This can also give some relief from mild low back pain. As the Journal of the American Medical Association pointed out, spinal manipulation has some short-term benefit in helping relieve back pain.

However, if you have chronic back pain, you should always have a doctor evaluate the source of your pain before you use self-manipulation techniques on your spine. Many people are alarmed to hear popping and cracking when their spine is manipulated.

However, the popping is just gas that is released from between the joints. This could be likened to the popping sound when you open a bottle of champagne. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association reports that the crack is not always an indication of a successful spine manipulation. Sometimes, the popping sound can help to improve the chiropractic adjustment.

However, in many cases, the benefits are more psychological, not physiological. The reason that cracking your back usually feels so good is that it helps to release tension from joints. Steven Yeomans, quoted earlier, says that the popping sound helps to release joint pressure. Yeomans says that if the back or spine is tense or the patient has muscle spasm, the audible pop may not be heard.

According to researchers from Harvard Medical, your joints contain synovial fluid.