You adjust, mobilize, or manipulate your spine when you “crack” your back.
Warming up your body and muscles while performing gentle stretches and twists like those outlined below to adjust your back will help loosen up stiff areas.
Can you pop your back without risk?
Some people think that only qualified experts who know how to safely adjust backs should perform these adjustments. However, if you do it cautiously and with caution, it might be okay to tweak or break your own back.
Just be careful not to push yourself too hard. These changes don’t actually need to make those distinctive cracking and popping noises to work, but we know they provide a brief sense of comfort.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
✅ When correcting your own back, it’s crucial to pay attention to and understand your body.
✅ Be kind to your body and avoid pressuring it to move or assume any positions.
✅ Any of the following sensations shouldn’t be brought on by these stretches: discomfort, pain, numbness or tingling.
✅ Try different variations to see which ones work best for you, as not all of these stretches may be appropriate.
✅ Stop using the technique immediately and visit a medical professional, a physical therapist, a chiropractor, or an osteopath if your symptoms get worse.
Chair back stretch method
- Place your shoulders over the top of the back of a chair with a firm seat.
- You can raise your arms over your head or interlace your fingers behind your head.
- Recline and unwind.
- Keep leaning back over the chair’s top edge until your back begins to hurt or you feel a decent stretch.
By gradually moving your body up and down, you can experiment with various heights.
Your upper and middle back will feel stretched as a result of this stretch.
Chair rotation method
- While seated in a chair, cross your right arm over your left side and towards the left side of the chair. On the outside of your left leg or the chair’s seat, place your right hand.
- Raise your left arm behind you so that it can be positioned over the chair’s back.
- Keeping your hips, legs, and feet pointed forwards, gently twist your upper body as far to the left as you can.
- By twisting to the right, repeat the same motions on the opposite side.
You should begin your twist at the base of your spine, which is where you will feel it. Your lower and middle back will feel stretched out as a result.
Back extension method
- Make a fist with one hand while standing and wrap the other hand over it at the base of your spine.
- With your hands at a small upward angle, push up on the spine.
- Lean back and crack your back with the pressure of your hands.
- Alternately extend your spine at various levels while moving your hands up your spine.
Where you’ll Feel It: The stretch will be felt along the area of your spine that is being compressed. Try the standing lumbar extension exercise as a variation on this stretch.
Lumbar extension while standing method
- While standing, place your pinky fingers on either side of your spine and your palms along your back or at the top of your butt with your fingers pointing down.
- Lift and extend your spine upward, then arch backwards while gently massaging your back with your hands.
- Remain in this position for ten to twenty seconds. Don’t forget to breathe.
- You can stretch at various levels if your flexibility permits you to move your hands higher up your spine.
You might feel this stretch between your shoulder blades or around your upper spine.
The reach-upward method
- Clasp your hands behind your head while still standing.
- Pressing your head into your hands, slowly extend your spine upward and arch backwards.
- Put pressure on your head with your hands to generate resistance.
- Hold this position for ten to twenty seconds. Don’t forget to breathe.
Where you might feel it: Your upper back may feel this stretch.
Standing spinal rotation method
- Extend your arms in front of you while you are standing.
- While keeping your hips and feet pointed forwards, slowly rotate your upper body to the right.
- After coming back to the centre, turn to the left.
- Repeat this motion a few times or until your back feels looser or you hear it crack.
You may direct the motion by using the momentum of your arms. Your lower spine will feel stretched as a result of this stretch.
Seated twist method
- Sit on the ground with your right leg bent and your left leg stretched in front of you with your knee pointing up.
- Place your right foot outside of your left knee and cross your right leg over your left.
- Maintain a long, straight spine.
- While rotating to look over your right shoulder, place your left elbow outside of your right knee and your right hand on the ground behind your hips.
- To intensify the stretch, press your arm and knee against one another.
Your lower back should be the starting point of your twist. Your entire spine will feel stretched as a result.
Roller stretch with supine foam method
Another word for lying on your back is “supine.”
- Lay on your back with your legs bent and lay a foam roller beneath your shoulders.
- Either extend your fingers alongside your body or entwine them behind your head.
- Roll your body over the foam roller, forcing it into your spine, using the momentum from your heels.
- You can either concentrate on your middle back or roll all the way up to your neck and lower back.
- You can slightly arch your spine if it’s comfortable.
- Roll 10 times, 10 times each way.
Where you’ll Feel It: Your spine will feel stretched and massaged throughout.
Supine twist method
- While lying on your back, bend your left leg and keep your right leg straight.
- Reach out with your left arm, keeping it away from your body. You should look to the left.
- While maintaining the stretched posture, rotate your lower body to the right. Think about attempting to contact the ground with both your left shoulder and left knee. You don’t need to do this because your left shoulder will probably be lifted off the ground and your knee might not touch the ground on its own.
- If your left shoulder doesn’t extend all the way down, put a pillow under it.
- Take a deep breath and gently press your left knee with your right hand.
- To intensify the stretch, bring your left knee up towards your chest or straighten your leg.
- Continue on the other side.
You’ll feel this stretch in your lower back, which is where it will be felt.
Stretching the shoulders blade method
- Extend your arms straight up towards the ceiling while lying on your back with your knees bent.
- Reach around yourself as though to grab hold of the opposing shoulder blades as you cross your arms over your chest.
- Rise up a little, then sag back to the ground.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 once.
Where you’ll Feel It: Your upper back will feel stretched.
Back popping tips
You should have the following advice in mind as you perform these easy stretches:
- You can perform these movements on your own throughout the day or as a part of a lengthier stretching regimen.
- Enter and exit each exercise slowly, avoiding making any quick or abrupt movements. Consider taking a short break to unwind before and after each stretch.
- When performing these stretches, gently and gradually increase the pressure or intensity.
Typically, each stretch will result in just one modification rather than numerous ones. These stretches ought to feel pleasant and help loosen up your joints even if you don’t receive an adjustment from them.
Do not pop you back, is this you?
You shouldn’t crack your own back if you have back pain, oedema, or a wound of any kind.
This is particularly crucial if you have or believe that you have a disc problem of any kind.
Wait until you have fully recovered or get help from a medical expert.
Incorrect or excessive back adjustments may result in or exacerbate pain, muscular aches, or injury.