Everybody has done it. You roll your neck, twist your back, or pull on a finger, and out comes a satisfying pop. Then somebody warns you it will give you arthritis, and now you feel guilty about it. So what is actually happening when joints crack, is cracking your back bad for you, and what does a chiropractic adjustment really do? Here is the science, minus the myths.
What the pop actually is
When you crack a joint, you are usually hearing a process called cavitation. Joints are wrapped in a capsule filled with fluid, and the fluid contains dissolved gases. When you stretch the joint and the pressure inside drops quickly, a gas bubble forms and releases, and the release makes the pop. It is not bones grinding together, and it is not anything snapping. After a joint pops this way, there is a short window before it can pop again, because the gas needs time to redissolve. It is the reason you cannot immediately re-crack the same knuckle.
Is cracking your back or neck bad?
For most people, the occasional self-crack of the back or neck is not harmful, and the old warning about knuckle cracking causing arthritis has not held up. Long-running observations of dedicated knuckle crackers have not shown the arthritis link people fear. Still, a couple of sensible cautions apply. If you find yourself constantly needing to crack the same spot for relief, the nagging urge is often a sign of an underlying issue worth addressing rather than repeatedly self-manipulating. And forcefully wrenching your own neck is not a great habit. If your neck or back keeps demanding it, take it as a reason to get evaluated, not to crank harder.
What is crepitus?
Crepitus is the medical term for the grinding, crackling, or popping sounds and sensations in a joint. Some crepitus is the harmless cavitation kind. Other times, especially a sandy or grinding feeling in a joint like the knee, it reflects changes in the cartilage or surfaces of the joint. On its own, painless crepitus is usually nothing to worry about. Crepitus paired with pain, swelling, or loss of motion is worth having looked at, because then the sound is a clue rather than just noise.
What a chiropractic adjustment really does
People often assume the pop is the point of an adjustment, but the sound is a byproduct, not the goal. A chiropractic adjustment is a controlled, targeted movement applied to a specific joint to improve its motion and reduce pain. The cavitation pop may or may not happen, and a good adjustment works whether or not you hear anything. The skill is in the precision and the assessment behind it, not the volume of the crack. This is also why self-cracking is not the same as an adjustment, since it lacks the targeting and the evaluation.
Frequently asked questions
Is cracking your back bad for you?
For most people, the occasional self-crack is not harmful. But a constant urge to crack the same spot for relief often points to an underlying issue worth addressing, and forcefully wrenching your own neck is not a habit to lean on. If a joint keeps demanding it, get it evaluated.
Why do joints crack?
Most cracks are cavitation, a gas bubble forming and releasing in the fluid-filled joint capsule when pressure drops quickly. It is not bones grinding. There is a brief delay before the same joint can crack again while the gas redissolves.
What is crepitus?
Crepitus is the catch-all term for grinding, crackling, or popping in a joint. Painless crepitus is usually harmless. When it comes with pain, swelling, or reduced motion, it is worth having evaluated.
Come see us
If a joint keeps demanding a crack or you are hearing new grinding with pain, there may be something worth sorting out. The team at Preferred Rehab in Gilbert, AZ can assess what is behind the noise and help. Call (480) 633-3151 or book online to get started.
Related reading
References
- Kawchuk GN, Fryer J, Jaremko JL, et al. Real-time visualization of joint cavitation. PLoS One. 2015;10(4):e0119470.
- Deweber K, Olszewski M, Ortolano R. Knuckle cracking and hand osteoarthritis. J Am Board Fam Med. 2011;24(2):169-174.
Gilbert
235 E. Warner Rd #104,
Gilbert, AZ 85296
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Gilbert
235 E. Warner Rd #104,
Gilbert, AZ 85296
Phone: (480) 633-3151
Fax: (480) 383-6076