Is It Wrong To Crack Your Back?: 9 Interesting Pros & Cons No One Talks About
The short answer to this question is a resounding NO. However, you can crack your back and feel wonderful.
You’ve probably experienced that intense popping or crackling sensation at some point in your life and felt the accompanying relief and muscle relaxation that comes along with it. Today we’re going to take a look at crack-backs pros and cons. Some of these may surprise you, but after reading this article you should have a better idea of whether or not cracking your back is right for you.
What Exactly Happens When You Crack Your Back?
When a crack on your back is performed, a popping sound can be heard which signifies the release of pressure on a joint. This popping sound occurs because when you crack your back, you stretch the ligaments on the vertebrae.
When this happens, negative pressure is relieved from the joint, and fluid rushes in to fill it up again. If you crack joints that have been previously injured or are damaged, then you can suffer further damage.
The outer edges of the vertebrae around joints called facet joints are cracked, which causes their squishy capsules to expand. Stretching these capsules allows the synovial fluid inside them to have greater room to move, relieving pressure on your back joints and muscles while also moving your facet joints.
Is It Safe To Crack Your Back?
Cracking your back is both safe and beneficial. According to the Kids Health website, crack-backs prevent infections of the spine, alleviate pain caused by muscle tension, improve blood flow to surrounding muscles, increase the flexibility of surrounding muscles, and generally improve posture. Cracking your back also helps release any anxiety or stress you have built up which can lead to a better night’s sleep if done before bedtime.
However, Cracking your back can be dangerous if done too often.
According to WebMD, crack backs are not recommended for people with osteoporosis or brittle bones because cracking your back might result in a fracture on the spine, which could lead to serious pain and complications later on down the road.
Also according to Yale Health, crack backs cause strain on ligaments and joints which can make you more susceptible to injuries like pulled muscles if crack your back is performed incorrectly. Furthermore, crack backs should only be done when needed since it may lead to erosion of the spine over time due to constant pressure being released from it if crack backs are performed frequently.
A crack on the spine isn’t always good news. Despite crack backs being beneficial, crack backs have their cons as well so remember to crack your back at your own risk!
Pros of Back Cracking
Crackbacks are a fantastic way to reduce stress and tension while also alleviating pain and muscle tightness. Here are some of the benefits and advantages of crack backs:
Crack Your Back: Relieves Back Pain
Who doesn’t love a good crack? Isn’t it true that everyone loves a good crack? The relief of muscular tension due to the crack, which is like a brief massage for your body, is immediate. Any trapped muscles can be released by the crack in the back, allowing them to return to their natural state.
It Increases Your Spine’s Range of Motion
When you crack your back, there is a quick stretch and release of the muscles around your spine. Depending on what position you’re in when you crack your back, it can help increase the range of motion for both your upper and lower back – or anywhere in between – which can have a beneficial impact on your workouts.
It Increases Relaxation & Releases Emotions
Sometimes you just need to crack your back, and sometimes crackin’ feels damn good! The crack in the back can also help relieve built-up emotions like stress or anxiety. This is why many people crack their backs before starting their day – it releases any negative energy and helps them feel open to the day ahead.
It Increases Your Overall Spine Flexibility
In addition to relieving tension, cracking’ also increases your spine’s range of motion! This can help increase flexibility in both your upper and lower back – even between the shoulder blades. When you crack your back, it loosens any tight muscles, allowing them to return to their normal state.
It Increases Low-Back Circulation
There is a network of nerves all throughout your body, and by cracking’ your back you stimulate the nerve network around your spine. The crack in the lower back helps increase blood flow to that area, which can help deliver nutrients and get rid of waste. This benefit can be particularly helpful if you have a herniated disc.
Cons of Cracking Your Back
Although cracking’ your back can help you achieve a better life through improved spinal health, there are some cons to cracking’ as well:
Too Much Cracking Can Damage Your Back
When you crack your back, you’re essentially pulling on the spinal vertebrae which hold up your spinal cord. If you crack your back too much or too often without giving it time to rest (time for healing), it can leave your spine less stable, and over time cause damage. The reason why most people crack their backs is that they have been restricted by some sort of injury, but when you crack your back too much without proper rest the damage can be worse in the long term.
You Can Create a Slipped Disc
There are actually a few different types of slipped discs in the spine, but one type that can be created from cracking your back is a slipped disc between two vertebrae in the lower spine, called a “Herniated Disc.” When you crack your back over time, the crack can actually cause the gel-like center of the spinal disc to push through one of its walls. Even though it’s called a “slipped” disc, you didn’t actually slip anything, crackin’ just caused the disc to stretch past its safety point!
It Doesn’t Actually Fix Anything
The crack in your back is just that, a crack! You can crack your knuckles or neck or back, but it doesn’t actually heal the muscles. When you crack your back, you are pulling on the muscles and tendons of your vertebrae, but you’re not actually giving them anything to work with. The crack in your back actually just makes it easier for you to move and stretch past a normal range of motion that would be difficult or painful without cracking’.
It Can Trigger More Back Pain
Crackin’ can actually trigger more pain in your lower back if you crack it when you already have an injury or disc problem. When you crack your back with herniated discs, for example, crackin’ can cause the gel-like center of the disc to push through one of its walls and cause even more pain in that area.
Want a Lasting Back Pain Solution?
If you crack your back and it hurts, stop cracking! The crack in the back should not be a solution for fixing your injury; it’s just relieving some of the pain temporarily. If you crack your back when you already have an injury or herniated disc, you can make that injury worse if you crack it too much.
There are lasting solutions for chronic aches and pains that stem from an injury – including chiropractic care! A chiropractor can help diagnose and treat injuries like lower back pain, neck pain, and more to fix any damage and restore your normal range of motion. A Chiropractor is a solution to cracking your back!
The Solution: Get More Information From Your Chiro TODAY!
We can help you crack the code to your back pain with our series of blog posts on the ills of cracking and how chiropractic care can help you crack the right way.
