just a question to you fellow old farts.
does your back pop on the following occasions and i am talking loud enough for others to notice and comment:

when you cough or sneeze?
when you laugh?
when you stretch?
during sex?

man my back pops just about every time on the above.  I don't know if I need to see a doctor or what.  usualy he tells me i am getting to the age where this "stuff" begins to show up.  i say at 35!!!!.  he says yes.  

just had to add when i have a few beers i seem to relax just enough for my back to feel like it needs to be popped and just by bending over and touching my toes i can usually pop about 6 vertebra.  bottom of the neck to lumbar.  man it feels good!

Cough, sneeze or laugh, no.

Stretch, yeah sometimes.

During sex, well, not usually. But I always crack my knuckles first. [;)]

 Are you overweight?  Most back problems start showing up in your older years.  I could stand to loose about thirty pounds myself. I hit forty on D-Day. I have problems with my lower back. And I'm not so proud of all the beer I've drinken when the pain hits.

i am 6'4" 240LBS so yea i could loose about 10-20 lbs.  i had back problems when i was younger so some of this is catching up to me.

I'm 7'6 and 495 lbs and everytime I stand up my back pops,of course its hard to hear,as my ankles,knees allways pop first!

Should I lose weight ,get leg reduction,or just live with it?


Bob   [:D]   [BOOZE]   (JK)

My neck, back, knees, all seem to pop at random times.  But your right most of the time it feels great.  I figure no point in worrying about it unless it starts to hurt.

I have Tweety walk on my back. It cracks from the top to the bottom and I love it. Cheaper than a realignment at a chiropractor.

whats a Tweety?
sounds like fun.

I bought an inversion table to loosen and starighten my spine.  

or you can try using Glucosamine and Condroiten dietary supplements.  Or Both.

i have used a buddies inversion table.
how long do you have to hang before your back muscles relax and you start to see benefit?

i was on the thing for 10 minutes and never could get comfortable enough to relax and let my back realign.  he swears by it.  maybe i need to get one and use it everyday so i can get comfortable hanging like a bat and my back will relax.

More versatile than an inversion table. Tastier than glucosamine.

[img]http://www.vibeplanet.com/pics/Bulletfest3/mrsbendover1919.jpg[/img]

You really have to use the inversion table often enough to relaxed on it to be effective.  You know the feeling you get when you stretch to touch your toes and you relax and your stretch increases ?  

Eventually the same thing happens on the table whilst doing your finest sleeping bat imitation...It helps to let your arms hang freely too.

Your going to stroke out on that thing.

Is that why one side of me is numb? and I now I drool too.

My back/neck pops when I sneeze or cough hard.

Usually is a sign that parts of your spine are hypomobile (not moving enough) and that other parts have become hypermobile to compensate for the lack of flexibility.

Each segment or vertebra should move a certain amount.  Everyone carrying their own weight...so to speak.

You need to get moving. Walking frequently and stretching will help.  Glucosamine Sulfate helps to nourish and heal the joints, especially the weight bearing ones.  It is better that chondroitin sulfate due to its increased bio-availability.  Take a good multi-vitamin made by a respected manufacturer. Vitamin C is also helpful in that your connective tissue is made of collagen and collagen is formed from Vit. C.

I would also recommend seeing a Chiropractor.  He/She will evaluate and adjust the hypomobile segments and restore proper function to those segments.  The key is too move the ones that need it and leave the others alone.  

That is some basic advice.  Hope it helps.

John