Crack your back yourself safely

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Chair twist. Another way to achieve more extension is to use the edge of your bed as a fulcrum point, so that your head can dip below the level of your spine. This position is effective for cracking the mid back primarily. Lie down on your back on a bed, with everything above your shoulder blades extended over the edge.

Relax your back and let your head and arms slowly extend towards the floor, breathing out entirely as you do it. After each downward extending motion, hold for about 5 seconds and then do a full sit-up to get back to the original position and take a full breath in. Repeat as necessary. This movement carries a little greater risk of injuring your spine, so maybe ask a companion to be a spotter to make sure you can do it safely.

Tip: This movement is also great for strengthening your abdominal muscles. Get "picked up" from behind. A possibly more effective method of adjusting the mid back is getting a hug from behind because extending the thoracic spine is a little easier from this direction, assuming the person doing it is strong enough to lift you off the ground by a few inches or so.

Instead of using their hands to crack your back, the person lifting you can use gravity and their own chest as they arch back which takes less coordination. Cross your arms across the front of your body and allow a stronger, taller person to hug you from behind and grab your elbows for support. After fully exhaling, give a signal and allow the person to lift you off the ground while simultaneously squeezing you and extending your mid back.

This maneuver is a little risky for both participants because of the greater forces on the spines and shoulder joints.

Get a "bear hug. Some extension is needed to release the joints and it certainly helps if the person performing the hug is stronger and taller than you so they can get good leverage. Be careful though, because broken ribs and lung injuries are possible. Allow the person to hug you and have them clasp their hands near the area that you want to crack while you relax your arms at your sides.

After breathing fully in and out, give a signal for the person to squeeze harder with their hands in a quick thrusting manner this takes some practice and coordination , which will extend the spine somewhat and likely release a few joints. For women with large or sensitive breasts, this maneuver might not be appropriate.

Don't let someone crack your back on the floor. There is a technique that should only be attempted by someone with adequate training, such as an osteopath or chiropractor. There are laws that prevent some health professionals from doing this maneuver without adequate training. If you are interested in having your back cracked in this way, talk to a licensed professional.

Part 2. Extend your spine with help from your hands. While slowly extending your spine in a controlled manner, you can reach around your back and put pressure on the area that has the most tension, which will induce a little more focused extension there.

This movement requires a little more flexibility, especially from your upper body and arms. Add some spinal rotation while standing.

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. I received suggestions for home equipment as well as post-surgery items to make life a little easier. Thank you for keeping the information flowing and maintaining this essential community. All Rights Reserved.

SpineNation does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Login Signup. Tags: Chiropractic Care Self Care. Share Now. Should You Crack Your Back? Here are a few ways you can crack your back through stretches: Cobra or child's pose Rocking stretch Slow crunch Leg-over-leg stretch Using an exercise ball Sit and reach stretch While these are designed to provide temporary relief, If you want lasting relief, visiting a chiropractor and spending a few minutes stretching your back and spine each day may provide the best relief long term.

Updated: June 5, Disclaimer Information provided within this article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice. You might also like Member Testimonials. HikerManiac22 Dealt with back pain the past 10 years. Kay I am so grateful to have found SpineNation. Hobbes Love being part of a community that makes me feel like I am not alone.

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