Cracking your back, or as we call it manipulating your back or adjusting your back, can help relieve back pain. But make sure the cause of your back pain is diagnosed FIRST because with some back issues you should NEVER crack your back
The first way to crack your back is by using a foam roller. I like the ones that are slightly softer so it gives a little along your spine.
Next, you can get into a long sit position. This can also stretch your piriformis muscle and erector spinae muscles in your back. The twisting motion may help you get a pop in your back.
Then you can do an egg roll or a double knee to chest with a roll. This one is a little more difficult, but works well at getting your back to crack if you don’t have a foam roll.
Now you will sit in a chair and twist your body. Once you start the twist, get to the end range, and then do a quick push.
Finally, you can get a more gentle back manipulation on a swiss ball or therapy/stability ball. This is also a great stretch for your back.
One of the most effective back pain relief stretches is the prayer stretch, also known as child’s pose. However, this popular stretch can be challenging for those who cannot get down on the floor or put pressure on their knees. Fortunately, there is an excellent alternative: the seated rolldown stretch. This modification provides a comprehensive back and whole body stretch without the need to kneel or lie on the floor.
When trying to find the perfect mattress to help relieve and prevent back pain, the main thing to look for is a mattress that has the right amount of support to help keep your spine in proper alignment, or a neutral position. The mattresses designed by Back Science are designed specifically to help improve overall sleep posture, keep the spine optimally aligned, and reduce muscle and joint pressure throughout the back and neck.
In this video, I teamed up with Dr. Jen, a pelvic floor physical therapist who also happens to be pregnant! She'll show you her top 5 exercises to help relieve low back pain when you are pregnant by mobilizing and stabilizing the pelvis.
For a herniated disc, to relieve the back pain, you want to do extension exercises and stretches to help push the disc back into the space in your spine.
Stretches & exercises are a great way to help relieve back pain. But with nearly 1,000 videos on the Ask Doctor Jo YouTube Channel, it can be hard to find the best one for you. So for 2025, here are some of my favorite Back Pain Relief Videos that actually work!
Got back pain? These back pain relief stretches can be done on the floor, a bed, or a couch. These back stretches are great for general back pain relief.
These back pain relief stretches don’t necessarily need to be done in bed, but they are a great way to help relieve back pain in the morning before getting up, and/or when going to bed at night.
Lower back pain can often be relieved, and even prevented, by strengthening the core. So here are progression exercises to help strength the core in the front, side, and back.