Is it bad for you to crack your back

According to the American Stroke Association , risk factors include heart disease, smoking, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol. If you have an underlying structural instability, cracking can damage your back. According to Dr. Nwodim, you're in danger of getting hurt if you have an infection involving the spine, a tumor, an acute or chronic injury such as a fracture or major ligament injury or spinal stenosis narrowing of the spinal canal.

You should also lay off cracking if you've had herniated discs. The experts agree that the best way to kick a back-cracking habit is to alleviate the root of the problem: muscle soreness. Try these ideas:. The more sedentary you are, the more back pain you'll have and the greater the urge to crack may be.

Although the best stretches for you depend on your specific physical anatomy, here's one that works for almost everyone: "Stand up and reach to the sky," Lotus says. If you're experiencing lingering back or neck tension, get professional help. He or she can create a custom stretching and strengthening plan that is tailored to address your individual issues and anatomy. If you only crack once in a while, you're probably in the clear.

But the smartest course of action is to find a healthier way to unwind a tight spine. By Molly Triffin May 8, Molly Triffin is a freelance writer and editor based in Stowe, Vermont. She is the former features director of Cosmopolitan and current editor-in-chief of Spruce Life, a Vermont-based lifestyle magazine. Cracking your back may feel good, but is it bad for you? Video of the Day. This is also a bit of a mystery. Even though your spine might pop and snap on a dime, others are tougher to crack.

In other words, the looser you are, the more easily you'll be able to crack. Cracking can lead to injury and pain for some people. They compared results with non—joint-crackers and determined the chances of developing arthritis were similar among both groups. Some spine specialists insist that excessive back cracking can be bad for the spine, but it appears the real potential problem is unnecessary pressure on the soft tissues that support the spine.

The reason is because chiropractors and physical therapists carefully target the area of the spine that will be manipulated in a way that releases pressure without compromising segments already under strain. If you do regularly need to ease spine-related tension, consider gentle stretches or exercises such as yoga that naturally ease stress and increase flexibility.

Choose a Los Angeles spine surgeon with experience and expertise to diagnose and treat your spinal pain. Call the spinal health experts at The Spine Institute today at and schedule a consultation. Hyun W. If a rubber band is stretched repeated times in small amounts of time it loses its spring elasticity.

This same phenomena happens to your back when it is cracked time and time again. This can decrease the proper function of your spine, back muscles, and the ligaments around them. This is where and how hyper-mobility occurs. Okay, now that we have established that infrequent back cracking is pretty safe, we have to demonstrate to you the correct and most accurate ways possible to crack your back.

Note: Before performing any type of back cracking it is always wise to first seek medical advice! If you have the go from any medical expert to crack your back, then these are the safest ways that you can crack your back without compromising your health:.

You can crack your own back by taking a standing position that is upright. All you have to do is to place both of your hands palm out on top of each-other. Then take pressure and strength to press both hands on the spine as you lean slowly backwards. You can safely crack your back, most easily by taking a firm position on the floor.

You should use resistance force to stretch your back out. This should do the trick. And you can twist to the other side to complete the task.