10-11-2009, 01:15 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,432
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Stretching better
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Originally Posted by spideyfanman
My back usually hurts, or feels achy. I usually bend backwards and crack my back (like when someone cracks their knuckles). Is this a bad thing to do where I can injure myself badly?
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Spideyfanman, I don't think it hurts to do it occassionally, but I think you'd be better off having someone else do it for you. Simple stretching for the back is very beneficial in loosening things up, and making you feel better. The cat stretch (back arched high), on hands and knees, feels great! Also, lying on the floor on your stomach, slowly stretching up onto your hands (starting on elbows), works great too. Unless you have a real medical issue with your back, all types of stretching helps body and mind 
Quote:
For back pain relief, is "cracking" your own back safe or good? Can you actually help yourself remove your back pain doing this?
Simply put no! Actually it is a big NO!!!
Why?
The joints you are cracking are more than likely not the ones causing your back pain. Pain is like a fire alarm. The alarm and the site of the fire are not always the same. The same with back pain - pain can be in one joint but it may be a joint elsewhere referring or radiating pain to another location. You may be aiming to get back pain relief - you may end up making your back pain worse.
The next reason is even more serious. When you "crack" the back, you risk injury. I know you have many Chiropractors working this way ( I myself use to adjust using forceful adjustments ), but they are trained and still can cause injury.
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The last reason is this...
If you continuously " crack" your back or get someone else to do this - you will make the area hypermobile. This means the joint and the ligaments/muscles supporting it become slack. Therefore less support or resistance to injury or just day to day life pressures. You are therefore more likely to develop chronic ongoing problems in this area.
Even though I'm a Chiropractor, it is my opinion that cracking joints on a regular basis is not good for long term structural health.
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Is it bad to crack my back?
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