Asking your spouse to «walk» on your back to relieve tension after a hard day may be a popular ritual, but it can be extremely risky. Rehabilitation specialist and physiotherapist Vladimir Karasenko explains the potential consequences and suggests safer alternatives.
«As a rehabilitation specialist, I can say only one thing about the habit of having someone walk on your back to make it ‘crack’: It is best avoided. Stepping on the spine creates leverage-based stress that the spine isn’t designed to handle,» Karasenko said.
According to Karasenko, a single awkward movement could result in a displaced vertebra or ligament injury instead of the satisfying crack people may be seeking. A cracking sound, he noted, does not mean that anything has «popped back into place.»
Safer ways to ease back tension
«If you feel relief after having someone walk on your back, it is likely because your back muscles were tight and the mechanical pressure temporarily relaxed them. But this isn’t treatment — it’s just a coincidence,» Karasenko said.
Instead, he recommends using a foam roller or massage ball, which can provide a safer way to massage the back.
«Have your partner use them to give you a proper, relaxing massage. It’s cheaper and safer. Plus, you won’t have to explain to a doctor later how you ‘just cracked your back,’» Karasenko said.
