If you’re someone who cracks or “pops” your back, you’ve probably heard any number of reasons why you shouldn’t: it’ll cause arthritis, damage your nerves, and stunt your growth. But is there any truth to these myths? And more importantly, is cracking your back actually detrimental to your spinal health? As it turns out, the answer is a bit more complicated than “yes” or “no.”
What Happens When You Crack Your Back?
A common cause for concern when it comes to cracking joints is the loud “popping” sound it creates. While the cause is still somewhat disputed, scientists theorize the noise is caused when gas bubbles form in the synovial fluid contained in joint capsules.
While this process isn’t cause for concern, your back cracking frequently or painfully is something you should get professionally examined. Similar-sounding cracking noises can be a result of damaged ligaments, broken-down cartilage, or more serious issues.
Is It Safe?
First thing’s first: studies show cracking your back has no link to arthritis. It also won’t stunt your growth; the synovial fluid and gas bubbles shifting during a crack have no relation to growth. Most of the legitimate risks associated with cracking your back stem from people putting too much pressure on their spine while not understanding their anatomy and inner workings of their spine—in short, they aren’t trained to properly perform an adjustment.
This is why it’s so inadvisable to have a friend crack your back—too much pressure in the wrong place can lead to an injury or a sprain. Improperly self-cracking your back could also cause a pinched nerve, and cracking too frequently—more than once a day—could stretch your ligaments and injure blood vessels near your spine. The stress placed on the soft tissues around your joints when popped too often or incorrectly can accelerate its breakdown.
With all that said, cracking your back occasionally can help relieve pressure in the spine and may provide temporary relief. This doesn’t mean you should twist yourself into unnatural positions until your back cracks. A far safer way to get that relief is by using stretches or yoga to loosen your back, which can crack your back in a way that isn’t putting dangerous pressure on your spine.
What Cracking Your Back Isn’t
Cracking your back is not a replacement for a proper spinal adjustment performed by a professional, and it shouldn’t be relied on for relief from serious issues. If you’re having consistent urges to crack your back, there’s most likely an underlying problem, like joint misalignment, that needs to be addressed to improve the overall health of your back.
Serious back pain or joint misalignment isn’t an issue that can or should be self-treated—chiropractors are trained and certified to adjust your spine in a way that doesn’t endanger your health. We at Crossroads Chiropractic have been serving St. Cloud for over 30 years. If you’re suffering from back pain, we have the experience required to get you back to a pain-free life.
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