Painless grinding in spine during exercise

[MIchael9179]

History: athletic, heavy weight lifting during teen years and up to age 25.   At age 25 had badly herniated L5-S1 disc requiring surgery.  Following surgery I became sedentary and gained a lot of weight from age 26 through age 37.  Now 38, cleaned up diet and back in the gym.  Have lost 30 pounds in last 5 months.  I am a RN, and do tons of lifting and repositioning of patients.  Have had lots of back pain in the past, but none now that I lost weight.

I feel great when I exercise, but I have noticed that I have a pretty significant sensation of grinding and crunching throughout my thoracic spine.  Totally painless.  But any lifting move that requires use of muscles in my back or requires bending or twisting in the back causes it.  It is ongoing throughout the movement and not localized to any one spot.   Again, totally painless.  

Arthritis?  Degenerative changes?  Can this improve as I continue to strengthen my muscles and lose weight, or am I doomed to see this worsen?  Again, only 38 years old, but you would think my spine was snapping in two with the amount of crunching and grinding going on back there.  

[specialmom]

First, BIG congrats for your weight loss.  That's awesome and not easy to do.  Now you have to keep it off.  My doctor told me that to be a true weight loss, you have to keep it off for 2 full years---  and then it is permanent.  I work on this myself!  Anyway, that really is terrific.  I'm glad that the back isn't hurting even with the sounds.  That would make me a little nervous too.  Do you do a lot of stretching?  You should.  And I'd get it checked out.  But it may just be the way things are now after your previous issues.  Arthritis and further issues will always be a concern as they are for everyone and you will need to be careful.  I'd do back strengthening exercises and work with a trainer to know what to and not to do.  good luck