How do people usually break their backs and injure nerves?

Are you likely to break your back and injure nerves from being pushed forward on a rowing machine in the gym? I was on a rowing machine and strapped my feet in. When I was either leaning or reaching forward in a lame attempt to grab the handlebar that had been left up, a big guy rowing on my left without warning gave me a sudden push forward on the middle of my back and I felt about two crackles to the posterior left of my lower back in the hip line area, but no pain at the time. Could that have been hip malalignment or --? Thank you.