HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

What Causes Grinding Noise?

What causes my lower back to have a grinding noise if I lay on my side but turn my back only so that it is on the floor? I then raise the bottom leg up as an exercise and with each raise you can literally hear my spine grind. There is no pain, just a scrubbing noise.
Mon, 25 Feb 2019
Report Abuse
Neurologist 's  Response
Hi,

If what you describe is painless then, it is not likely that you are suffering from any significant arthritic degenerative disease responsible for the sounds especially if you are able to rotate your spine in the fashion you mention and raise the leg.

The noises you hear could be the sliding of tendons and ligaments over each other or over edges of vertebral bodies as you raise the leg since the rotation of the spine places the transverse processes at 90 degrees to normal which allows tendon gliding to occur over a different base skeletal structure.

Again, so long pain is not an element or manifestation of this activity then, I see it as a good thing since you are obviously demonstrating nice flexibility in your thoracolumbar spine. I would continue using these manoeuvres to keep things limber.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
r. Dariush Saghafi, Neurologist
I find this answer helpful
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Loading Online Doctors....
What Causes Grinding Noise?

Hi, If what you describe is painless then, it is not likely that you are suffering from any significant arthritic degenerative disease responsible for the sounds especially if you are able to rotate your spine in the fashion you mention and raise the leg. The noises you hear could be the sliding of tendons and ligaments over each other or over edges of vertebral bodies as you raise the leg since the rotation of the spine places the transverse processes at 90 degrees to normal which allows tendon gliding to occur over a different base skeletal structure. Again, so long pain is not an element or manifestation of this activity then, I see it as a good thing since you are obviously demonstrating nice flexibility in your thoracolumbar spine. I would continue using these manoeuvres to keep things limber. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, r. Dariush Saghafi, Neurologist