Back Cracking and Kidney Trauma

There is a large body of evidence pointing out the ill effects of back cracking and the impact that it can have over the alignment of the vertebrae. The back is most at strain when we are lifting objects from the floor. Lifting not only involves muscles in the upper leg area but also the back muscles which contact and compress the joints in the spine. If these joints are already compressed by extreme bending at the hips, damage can result and cause pain as pressure is applied on the nerves of the spine.

In this article, I am going to share with you a new concern that can creep up if you continue the practice of back cracking. Some medical researchers are reporting a risk of damage to the kidneys due to back cracking. This is not as far fetched as it sounds. The system of bones in our back comprise of the rib cage and the spine. The ribcage is a series of vertically separated bones that give shape to the upper body and allows the spine to integrate with it to give us an erect posture.

The lower part of the ribcage is placed behind our kidneys. The kidneys are attached to the bone structure with the help of tough connecting tissues that hold them in place. The normal back cracking method is to lie against a flat surface and to compress the muscles of the back to force the joint to let out a cracking sound. When you do this the bones of the ribcage press against your kidneys and cause the surrounding connective tissue to compress and compensate for this unnatural stress.

Your practice of back cracking can even cause lacerations on the surface of the kidneys in some cases. This is extremely undesirable as you need your kidneys in top order to effectively discharge liquid wastes from your body. The problem is that you will not get to know of the possible damage to your kidneys due to back cracking until it is too late.

I would like to say here that there is only a suspected link between back cracking and kidney trauma. More detailed studies are required before establishing a definite link between the two. But the point that I am trying to make is that cracking your back is not worth it even if there is a slight possibility of damage to vital organs like the kidneys.