To relieve lower back tension while at your desk, you can perform a rotational and extension twist on your chair to crack the area. However, if you feel the need to do this several times a day, it signals a lack of stability: you must then stop cracking and prioritize muscle strengthening instead.

noli's read

Mobilizing the back while seated allows for tissue stretching and provides welcome temporary relief. This well-known 'cracking' is a phenomenon of cavitation (gas bubbles forming within the joint) that produces a sensation of rapid release, although it does not physically realign anything. The creator’s warning against compulsive self-cracking is particularly sound, as overdoing this movement can irritate tissues over time. Furthermore, the guidelines from the American College of Physicians (published by Qaseem et al., 2017, based on systematic reviews of clinical trials) confirm that active movement and muscle strengthening are the most effective strategies for long-term back comfort. Seeking to stabilize the area through exercises rather than seeking passive cracking is therefore an excellent recommendation validated by research.

the sources

1. 1Rubinstein SM, de Zoete A, van Middelkoop M, et al. 2019