How to safley crack your lower back

[300mag]

Any one know a method that actually works and is safe...

I'm in agony most of the time, beers don't phase it anymore.

BC arthritis work well but i wont take but 2-4 of them a week

ibphrophin...nothing anymore

wont do narcotics..

ouchie....

[Hungry]

Many times in the evening I'll do a light stretching exercise that really helps my lower back and whole upper body feel better.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Let your arms hang in a relaxed state by your side and just gently rotate your upper body at the at the waist. Rotate left and right. I start off slow and easy, no more than a 90 degree to begin with until warmed up.

Doing this I can gently crack my back, ankles, knees and neck.

Hope it helps.

[9mmParabellum]

i dont think chiropractics is a recognized medical field.idk much about the subject but i know cracking joints can cause arthritis.your scraping the 2 bones/cartilage or w/e together(that is the cracking sound).i cant see how it will help arthritis.maybe stretching excersizes to relieve pressure on the joints.there is also ejections you can get that relieve back pain that isnt a drug effect.

[medicineball]

Take the beer money and go to a chiropractor. He may not help you, but he will give you the crack that you're after!

[Heartlander]

If you have serious pain seek a Dr before trying below information. I am not a Dr or do I claim to be. Try at your own risk.

For your lower back:

This is a great stretch for the lower back and can make the crack you are asking for:
Lay down flat on your back with your arms spread wide. (like you are making a snow angel) bend one of your knees straight up and cross it over your other leg reaching as far as you can while keeping your arms and other leg in place as much as possible. Do other leg.

To do a self decompression of lower back. lay on floor or bed, prop yourself up on your elbows knees bent up, take your hands palms up thumbs out and place them on your lower back just above your buttocks with thumbs pointed straight up to the sky along your side. push on your buttocks slowly and steadily pushing towards your feet. at the same time try to pull your upper body away from your hands(hard to explain that part but it is like relaxing and expanding your spine away from your hands) hold as long as possible. Voila

Hang as long as possible from a jungle gym bar or chin up bar.


For upper middle back: (this will not crack it it will relieve pain)

Take a folded quartered hand towel and place it just below your nipples and in the middle of your chest (adjust as necessary)and lay flat on your stomach face down on the floor.



I was told by a Dr, the sound you hear when a chiropractor adjusts your back is not the sound of bones being re-aligned. What it is is the sound of a temporary vacuum that is created whenever any joint is suddenly separated. And cracking does not always mean relief. And some Drs say it can be bad if you have arthritis or other joint problems.

Research the Pro Adjuster that Chiropraters use more now rather than "cracking".

[Khyron34]

Originally Posted by 9mmParabellum

i dont think chiropractics is a recognized medical field.idk much about the subject but i know cracking joints can cause arthritis.your scraping the 2 bones/cartilage or w/e together(that is the cracking sound).i cant see how it will help arthritis.maybe stretching excersizes to relieve pressure on the joints.there is also ejections you can get that relieve back pain that isnt a drug effect.

I read somewhere that is now considered "an old wives tale"...what I read have no link to back it up...Makers Mark is making me a lazy

Will say that I started seeing a chiropractor for my neck and noticed a huge difference. That an acupuncture...swear by both, as they have been around for centuries.

[TRM]

Originally Posted by 300mag

Any one know a method that actually works and is safe...

I'm in agony most of the time, beers don't phase it anymore.

BC arthritis work well but i wont take but 2-4 of them a week

ibphrophin...nothing anymore

wont do narcotics..

ouchie....

I use a method I learned in HS football, of all places.

Lay flat on your back.

Keeping your shoulders and in contact with the ground, take one leg and put it like you're sitting in a chair. It should look like your thigh is 90 degrees from your torso, and your calf is 90 degrees from your thigh but parallel to your torso.

At this point, your leg is off the ground. Keeping your shoulders and back in contact with the ground, rotate the lifted leg so that it goes over your other leg. Get the knee of the lifted folded leg as close to the ground as possible, you can use your hand (still keeping your shoulders in contact with the ground) of the side your knee is on to push it a little further if you want.

Alternatively, you can do this and have someone push your knee and opposite shoulder - gently.

You should feel a series of pops as your back adjusts.

If you're having muscle problems, if at all possible, do try the drugs. They will relax your back just enough to allow the blood flow back into the muscles to allow the muscles to start healing. I hate pills as well, but I've seized up so bad I couldn't change positions (sitting to standing). After 2 months of constant pain, I took the drugs. Was right as rain a week later. It was some heavy duty stuff.

There are some back stretching exercises I've done as well that have helped.

[LIBERTYCHICKEN]

I get knots in my upper back / shoulders

I join bolth hands behind my back and put my hands on a counter top(or something similar) , Then slowly kneel down so the counter top lifts my arms up gently

This does not crack my back but it makes it feel slightly better

[escape]

I don't have any advice about back cracking. However I've had a herniated disk in my lower back, the yoga stretch called Child's Pose does wonders for me when I'm in discomfort. Though I use it regularly in my daily exercise routine.
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/475/

Childs Pose


Extended Childs Pose


There are many other easy and gentle poses that are very beneficial to those with lower back pain.

[MonsterMash]

I agree with the yoga stretches and.....

If you have a really good friend or family member that can pick you up, try this:

Stand straight up and cross your arms, palms toward your shoulders and hands flat. Have your buddy/family member stand behind you and wrap his arms around your shoulders/arms. Like a bear hug. Then have him lift you off the ground. After the initial popping is over, have him gently shake you side to side.

Sounds crazy but it works.

[12vman]

Originally Posted by 9mmParabellum

i dont think chiropractics is a recognized medical field

it isnt a medical field..it is the chiropractic field....not "chiropractics"


.idk much about the subject but i know cracking joints can cause arthritis.your scraping the 2 bones/cartilage or w/e together(that is the cracking sound)

Both statements are WRONG!!!


.i cant see how it will help arthritis.maybe stretching excersizes to relieve pressure on the joints.there is also ejections you can get that relieve back pain that isnt a drug effect.

the "injections" which are usually cortisone(steroids) do have side effects...one being the slow destruction of the joint/bone near the site of injection

[vicdotcom]

Originally Posted by 300mag

Any one know a method that actually works and is safe...

I'm in agony most of the time, beers don't phase it anymore.

BC arthritis work well but i wont take but 2-4 of them a week

ibphrophin...nothing anymore

wont do narcotics..

ouchie....

Seriously consider this "Back2Life" machine. I laughed at it first and so did my snooty brother in law... but it CHANGED OUR LIVES!!!!! SERIOUSLY try it. It helps so much with the lower pain. I even took it with me overseas on vacation.


http://www.getback2life.com/index.ph...FcGf7QodGXAAqA

Please consider this. Doesn't seem to do much for upper back but helps bunches on lower.

[boy george fan]

Have you ever tried a foam roller?

I use this device after working out and it really helps to keep my back flexible.

There are tutorials on youtube on what to do.

[janit0r]

see a chiropractor. it'll take several sessions to get it straighten out (depending how bad and if it's was long time or recent injuries). after that exercise your back with stretching and practice lifting with you knees.

[whiskyrebellion]

agree with yoga and chiropractor and will add... glucosamine and chondroiton (sp). it may be mental but my knees, elbows, and hips feel way better when i take it regular.

[Backwoodsboy92]

Would definatly recommend a chiropractor. Worked wonders on my scoliosis I need to go back

[meatwaggon]

Chiropractic is a do-it-at-your-own-risk affair. Though it does seem to help many people on a subjective level, I've also seen a few people get fractures and arterial dissections from it. I hear it can also sometimes cause permanent nerve damage. Many orthopedists and physiatrists routinely disparage chiropractic and consider it to be pseudoscience lacking objective, empiric evidence of efficacy; OTOH both of these specialties utilize limited forms of SMT in some cases (much less liberally than chiropractors). If you plan on seeing a chiropractor, you should definitely let your primary doctor know about it so he/she can anticipate complications if they arise.

Physical therapy, including stretching and yoga and whatever else the PT recommends, is your safest bet. Studies on glucosamine/chondroitin show a trend towards statistically significant benefit but not definitively so. In other words, taking it may or may not be helpful. Local steroid injections are helpful for some people, but their duration of effect is on the order of months, after which the pain returns. Long term steroid therapy can lead to osteoporosis and worsen diabetes control, among other things. Your last option, of course, is spine surgery. Recommendations for escalation of pain control typically go something like this: OTC pain meds -> PT -> steroids -> opioid pain meds -> surgery. Some steps are skipped sometimes, depending on the situation. Being or getting into shape in general can do wonders for your musculoskeletal system, beyond the benefits it brings to your cardiovascular system and your long term survival.

[Boost Addicted]

Originally Posted by Khyron34

I read somewhere that is now considered "an old wives tale"...what I read have no link to back it up...Makers Mark is making me a lazy

Will say that I started seeing a chiropractor for my neck and noticed a huge difference. That an acupuncture...swear by both, as they have been around for centuries.

It is. The cracking is hydrogen bubbles being released from the synovial fluid surrounding the joints (joint lube...).


My back-cracker of choice used to be a chiropractor... But I ran out of money for that quite a while ago

I like to use gravity boots for easing back pain. It's pretty much regular boots (some resemble ski boot) with hooks on the end, and you hang upside down from basically a pull up bar.

I think teeter hang-ups makes a version. Mine are old as hell... I don't even know what brand they are. And the bar is a pull up bar from a sporting goods store.

Hang upside down for a few minutes, relaxed, and your back will slowly start to stretch and crack.. And seemingly straighten out. Not sure how good or bad it is for you, but it works really well.

[OldWolf]

This is what the back cracker showed me when I hurt my back.

1. Lay flat on your back
2. First put your left knee up, foot on floor, bring your right ankle over the left thigh, pull on right knee and ankle, pull towards you chest. You want to stretch the gluts and hammie out......if you don't stretch them first you will never get your back to realign. Hold for 15 seconds and switch to left leg, right leg up. Do each side three times.
3. Now.....if you are stretched properly this will work good or does for me.....
Lay flat on your back bring your right leg over your left leg and bent at about a 45 degree angle, push down slightly with your left hand on your right knee, this will rotate your body slightly up on your right side......extend your right arm out to an angle between your shoulder and head...Arm straight out but not touching the floor... the weight of the arm gives a slight twist to your back. Do this opposite sides 3 times each.......mine usually pops on the first go but if i haven't stretched well enough as shown above it maybe on the 2nd try or not at all.....

[12vman]

Originally Posted by Boost Addicted

It is. The cracking is hydrogen bubbles being released from the synovial fluid surrounding the joints (joint lube...).


.

correct answer




.....its not "bones rubbing together"