Can You Crack Your Back While Pregnant?

After many aches and pain you’ve been feeling (having a baby in your tummy can truly be exhausting sometimes), I assume that, you want to know now: can you crack your back while pregnant?

Many will not understand the “Can you crack your back while pregnant?” question, but that’s because they either have never dealt with a “pregnancy body” or their pain threshold is huge (well, good for them!).

Every pregnant woman deserves some form of relief, and if they believe that cracking their back is the answer to their problems, then let them be! Gentle stretches are simply not always efficient enough, so they need to turn to something that’s more effective that’s not going to hurt them or their baby.

However, before they start doing it, I would first like to examine this further “Can you crack your back while pregnant?” topic, just to be sure it’s one hundred percent safe!

So, let’s go through this together to see if you can crack your back while pregnant, or not! So what do you think, is it safe or?

Can You Crack Your Back While Pregnant, or That’s Not Allowed?

How on earth would I ever be able to say no to an aching pregnant woman that doesn’t carry her weight only, but her baby’s weight too?

But all joking aside, yes, you can crack your back while pregnant; however, just make sure you are not overextending it. Otherwise, it’s safe.

Generally speaking, this is a common way to mitigate lower back stiffness that piles up over time during pregnancy. However, if you’re considered high-risk, then it would be advisable first to consult a doctor (he/she will determine if it’s safe to do it), just to see if you truly can crack your back while pregnant.

Situations When You Can Crack Your Back While Pregnant

There are various inconveniences that emerge during pregnancy during which it’s completely fine to crack your lower back to alleviate the stiffness and pain.

Below, I’ll mention these scenarios that require some back cracking in order to feel some relief.

1. Pregnancy inflammation

2. Supporting new weight

3. A change in the back posture

4. Hormonal changes

5. Uterus growth

During pregnancy, every pregnant woman goes through various changes. And possibly one of the most overwhelming ones is related to weight gain, along with the shift in the uterus positioning.

Because of these things, you must deal with posture alterations. And that’s something that inevitably impacts your back. It needs some time to adapt to these changes, however, occasional stiffness is still unavoidable.

Especially if you are working in the office and sitting in an uncomfortable chair. That’s why we made an all-in-one guide for finding the best office chair while pregnant.

One of the best ways to find some relief is precisely by cracking your back by twisting from side to side.

Furthermore, swelling and inflammation are two major causes of back pain. Even though (luckily) spine inflammation isn’t something that frequently strikes pregnant women, unfortunately, it can still occur at some point.

Additionally, if lately, you’ve been having some weird pregnancy pains, then it’s most likely due to intensive hormonal changes.

There’s a hormone called that’s helping your pelvis become a lot more flexible, as your body is preparing itself for the delivery.

However, precisely this relaxation (that’s caused by a hormone called relaxin) can cause some serious back pains because your body is trying to adapt to the newly-created situation.

But don’t despair. All of these abovementioned inconveniences can successfully be addressed with the right back cracking.

The Most Popular Myths Related to Back Cracking

I came across numerous myths that were nothing but nonsense. For example, the most common one is the one that suggests that if you crack your back, you will completely ruin your spinal disc or even slip it.

Well, that’s highly unlikely, unless you are already dealing with a vertebral condition. Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t instantly mean that back cracking is strictly forbidden, but just that you should be careful while executing it.

Still, I would like to remind you that you shouldn’t too it with too much force, otherwise, you may seriously damage your joints, which can lead to swelling, strain, and soft tissue damage.

But generally speaking, you can crack your back while pregnant without worrying that it’s going to cause any injuries.

However, if you’re suffering from any of these conditions (that I’ll mention below) then it’s not recommendable to do so:

1. Severe osteoporosis – This is a condition that converts bones into the most fragile things, meaning that even the mildest pressure can cause them to break

2. Upper cervical spine disorder

3. Spinal cancer

4. Increased risk of stroke

5. Facet joints syndrome

6. If you’ve been feeling tingling, stiffness, or numbness in your leg or arm, then it may be a sign of stroke or neurological damage

How Can You Crack Your Back While Pregnant?

Well, now that both of us have established that you can crack your back while pregnant (of course, with caution), now it’s time to see how to crack your back while pregnant.

If you want to lessen the pressure, then cast your eyes on these effective exercises that will tell you exactly how to crack your back while pregnant:

1. First, you should utilize a wall as a support, stand with your feet apart, and then thrust the arch of your back towards the wall. This is going to alleviate any stiffness and tension you’ve been feeling successfully.

2. Make sure to be in a crawling position, because something like this is going to release pressure, however, you should push your spine upwards is going to stretch your lower back.

3. If you’ve never tried a torso twist, then now may be a good time to do so. What is a torso twist? It means that you’ll be sitting with your legs crossed, and then turning your body to one side, and then the other. Just be sure not to over-twist because it can result in muscle strain.

4. I assume that you have used a pregnancy ball to prepare yourself for birth, however, did you know that you can also utilize it to stretch, and simultaneously, mitigate the tension in the back?

There’s no doubt that all of these aforementioned exercises can be of huge help, however, before you decide to give them a try, please consult your healthcare provider first!

Are There Any Risks Involved When Back Cracking?

Even though we both concluded that you can crack your back while pregnant, there are still some concerned pregnant ladies that are scared of potential risks.

On the whole, yes you can crack your back while pregnant, but just ensure that’s not something you’re doing on a regular basis, or that you are conducting any unsafe stretching.

I mean, nothing spectacularly bad is going to happen if you do these things. However, you’ll be putting your body (including joints) under unneeded strain, that’s all!

Now, if by any chance, you notice that your back issues are not becoming milder, but stronger than ever, then it would be advisable to talk to your antenatal team to see if maybe you potentially suffer from nerve damage or pelvic girdle pain.

What is pelvic girdle pain?

It is the type of pain that can be felt in your legs, and lower back. It mostly resembles throbbing or nagging pain.

If you’ve been experiencing any of these sensations, then it would be advisable to opt for a pregnancy belt.

Don’t worry. This isn’t anything that you should stress over too much. The point is to make use of a pregnancy belt, so that you can decrease the pain you’ve been feeling.

You will quickly notice a significant improvement when it comes to this.

When Shouldn’t You Crack Your Back While Pregnant?

Now, that it’s been discussed when you can crack your back while pregnant, it’s time to dive into this topic as well.

Although it’s safe to crack your back, pregnant women shouldn’t be doing it too often. If you’ve been experiencing pain, cracking is advised, but you won’t do yourself a favor if you do it on a regular basis.

Bear in mind that pregnancy pain and ache are (unfortunately) a completely normal occurrence. And I also know that if you experience pain, you want to do anything that’s in your power to relieve tension and finally experience some pain relief.

However, if the pain has become unbearable, and you have the need to twist and pop your back all the time, then (I don’t mean to scare you) you most likely have more serious problems that aren’t caused by baby’s weight (or weight that you generally gained during pregnancy).

This means that back cracking during pregnancy is not going to help you and that it’s time to talk to your doctor.

Can someone else crack your back?

I definitely wouldn’t advise it.

Why is that, you’re probably wondering. Well, for starters, literally no one knows your body the way you do, not even your family members, friends, and partner.

Plus let’s not forget to accentuate the fact that none of these people are professionals, meaning that you do not want someone who is inexperienced, and unskilled (when it comes to this) to walk on your back and try to mitigate your back pain.

Save it for someone who knows exactly what he/she is doing.

If you put your problem into their hands (referring to friends, family, etc.) you will increase the risk of having a major muscle or spinal injury.

Not to mention that it’s definitely not recommendable (and good for your unborn baby) to lie on your stomach during pregnancy.

Alternative Methods that You Can Try Out (while Pregnant) Instead of Back Cracking

Fortunately, you do not have to rely solely on back cracking during pregnancy, since there are many other safe ways that can provide you with some pain relief that are as equally effective.

So let’s discuss them below!

Acupuncture

This is a widely known Chinese method that’s intended to provide some relief to your body. Of course, this should be done by a seasoned professional, who is going to insert needles into different pressure points to help you relieve the pain effectively.

What About Chiropractors?

Chiropractic care is something that a lot of pregnant women opt for when they are experiencing any form of pain during pregnancy.

There’s no need to remind you how essential it is to go to a chiropractor who is licensed, has had a plethora of experience, and has gone through the necessary training.

So what chiropractor is going to during chiropractor care?

During this type of care, he/she will execute spine manipulation stretching out any inadequacy in the back. After chiropractic care, you will feel reborn.

Uncovering More About Prenatal Yoga

If you’re in the mood for some prenatal care, then this is perfect for you. A vast majority of pregnant ladies will tell you that this is probably one of their favorite alternative methods because they feel great after it!

And who could blame them since there are lots of benefits of prenatal yoga? Not only does it encourage mindfulness, but it also enhances posture, relieves pain, and helps you properly control your breathing. Your baby will love yoga too!

Of course, just like with all those abovementioned things, this one should also be done by someone skilled and experienced.

Heat & Cold Therapy

If you’ve constantly been having back pain and you get the feeling like it never goes away, then you should definitely give this a try.

Why is it so beneficial?

Namely, heat or cold packs are going to help you disperse the pain that you’ve been feeling.

So what are the steps that need to be taken?

For starters, you should use cold packs to decrease the swelling. After a certain period of time (it’s typically after several days), you can start employing moderate heat packs.

Another thing that you can opt for is a hot bath because that’s something that’s going to alleviate pressure.

I would like to remind you that you shouldn’t put cold or heat packs directly on your stomach. Make sure to put something in between as a barrier between your skin and packs.

Other Things That You Can Do To Avoid Back Pain While Pregnant

One of the simplest yet most effective things that you can do to prevent this is to avoid becoming sedentary.

Yes, I know that something like this can become a bit challenging, particularly as time goes by, and your tummy gets bigger.

However, it’s of huge importance to stay active as much as possible, even during pregnancy.

Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should do anything that’s physically too challenging.  Camping, for example, is not a bad idea, if you’re up for some adventure, yet do something that doesn’t require a lot of physical effort. Or, you can opt for some light walk each day (or at least every other day), and you’ll see how your pain will quickly be reduced.

Another thing that you can benefit from is the right footwear. Make sure to wear something that’s comfortable, because, at the end of the day, comfort must be prioritized always, especially while pregnant.

Yes, I know that high heels are a lot more appealing (plus they help you have that good posture); however, they definitely won’t make your pain go away, so steer clear of them until baby “gets out”. Your joints will suffer if you don’t.

Conclusion

Pregnancy is for sure a wonderful state, however, it can frequently be a huge pain in the neck (oh, and in the back and joints, too!).

I tried my best to provide you with some suggestions that can potentially help you go through this as smoothly as possible, and I honestly hope that at least one of them will help you accomplish that.