Is it Okay To Adjust or Crack My Own Neck and Back?

In this episode of the Dr. Joe's Power On BODcast, Dr. Joe Sheppard explores a common question many people ask: "Is it okay to adjust or crack my own neck and back?"

Dr. Joe explains what causes joints to pop and why self-cracking often provides temporary relief. He discusses how the joints that make the popping sound are frequently the ones that already move too much, while the restricted joints that may be contributing to the problem often remain unchanged.

Listeners will learn the difference between self-adjusting and a professional chiropractic adjustment, including how chiropractic care focuses on identifying and restoring motion to specific areas of the spine that are not functioning properly. Dr. Joe also covers the potential risks of repeatedly self-adjusting, including joint irritation, muscle imbalance, and dependence on cracking the same areas for relief.

The episode concludes with practical advice on improving posture, staying active, stretching, and seeking a professional evaluation when recurring stiffness or the constant urge to crack your neck or back becomes a regular occurrence.

Key Takeaway: Just because you can make your neck or back pop doesn't mean you're correcting the underlying problem. Chiropractic adjustments are designed to improve spinal function and nervous system communication, helping address the cause rather than providing only temporary relief.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

In the time it takes you to get home, work, or play, Dr. Joe's podcast will inform and educate you on chiropractic, nutrition, and fitness, keeping you and your family up to date on current products, health tips, and optimized living with chiropractic care. And here's your host, Dr. Joe Shepherd.

SPEAKER_01 0:27

Hello, my name is Dr. Joe Shepherd of Shepherd Chiropractic. Today on Dr. Joe's Power On Podcast, episode number 53, we're talking about a question I hear almost every week in practice. Dr. Joe, is it okay if I adjust myself? Well, maybe you're someone who twists your back until it pops. Maybe you'll tilt your head and crack your neck throughout the day. Or perhaps you have a friend who seems to sound like a bowl of rice krispies every time they move. Many people wonder if self-adjusting is harmless, helpful, or maybe even the same thing as getting a chiropractic adjustment. Well, today we're going to discuss what exactly happens when you crack your own neck or back, why it can feel good, why it usually doesn't solve the underlying problem, and what makes a professional chiropractic adjustment much different. So kick off your shoes, take a deep breath, and maybe roll those shoulders back, and let's get aligned together. So why do joints pop? Well, first let's talk about the sound. For many people, the pop is very satisfying. Some people almost become obsessed with hearing it. But what exactly causes that sound? Well, inside your joints is a lubricating fluid called synovial fluid. When a joint moves, pressure changes can occur within that fluid, causing a tiny gas bubbles to rapidly form and collapse. That process creates the familiar popping or cracking sound. The technical term is cavitation. The important thing to understand is that sound itself isn't the treatment. A joint can make noise without improving function, and a carboidy adjustment can improve function even if you do not hear a loud pop. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly believe that the pop is the goal, but it's actually not. The goal is improved motion and improved nervous system communication and improve function. So why do people crack their own neck or back? Well, most people start doing it because something feels maybe tight or stiff. Maybe you've been sitting at your desk all day. Maybe you spent hours looking down on your phone, or maybe you've been driving for a long period of time. You know, your neck starts to feel stiff, your upper back gets restricted or tight. So you grab your head, maybe twist your neck, hear a few cracks, and for a moment things may be a little better. The question is, if it feels better, what's wrong with it? Well, the underlying answer to that is which joints are actually moving specifically when you do that. Okay? I'm going to give you the door hinge analogy. Okay. One of my favorite ways to explain this is with a door. Imagine a door with several hinges. One hinge is rusted and maybe stuck, and the other hinges are loose and move easily. If you repeatedly swing the door back and forth, which hinges are going to move the most? Well, the loose ones, okay? The stuck hinge remains stuck. Your spine works similarly. When you twist yourself trying to get it to pop, the joints that move easiest are the ones that usually you hear the pop. Unfortunately, those are often not the joints that are causing your problem. The restricted joints frequently stay restricted, while the already mobile joints continue to move more and more. And over time, this creates a compensation pattern throughout your spine. So why does self-cracking feel so good? Well, this is where things will start to get a little interesting. Okay, if self-adjusting doesn't necessarily fix the problem, why does it feel so satisfying? There are several reasons for that. First, movement stimulates receptors in your joints and your muscles. Those receptors send information to your brain that can temporarily alter your perception of discomfort. Second, the movement can reduce muscle tension and tightness. When a stiff area suddenly moves, surrounding muscles start to relax. Third, your body may release endorphins and other natural chemicals that contribute to feelings of relief. So yes, you may feel better for that moment. The problem is that the relief is often temporary. How many people listening right now have cracked their neck this morning? Well, maybe again at lunch, maybe again in the afternoon, and maybe you'll do it three or four times before you go to bed. If the adjustment truly fixed the issue, then why would you need to keep doing it? That's often the clue that the underlying problem hasn't been addressed. Okay, the cycle of self-adjusting. Well, many people become trapped in this cycle. They feel tight, they crack their neck, they feel temporary relief, the tightness returns, they crack it again. Eventually they begin to feel like they need to do it multiple times every day. I've had patients tell me, Dr. Joe, I can't stop cracking my neck or back. Well, what they're actually describing is a cycle of temporary relief. The body is seeking a solution, but repeatedly moving the same loose joints is not correcting the underlying dysfunction. It's like turning up a radio to cover up the engine noise instead of fixing the engine. The symptom is temporarily less noticeable, but the problem is still there. Can self-adjusting cause problems? Well, this is another common question I get asked. For most healthy individuals, occasionally cracking a joint isn't likely to cause a significant problem. However, constantly forcing the joints to move may create issues over time. Potential concerns include increased irritation on the joint, muscle imbalances, excessive movement in an already mobile joint, reduced stability, and increased dependence on self cracking for relief. Think about an elastic waistband. If you stretch it repeatedly, eventually it will lose some of its ability to maintain the proper tension. Your joints are obviously more complex than that example, but the principle still helps explain why repeatedly forcing movement into the same area isn't always beneficial. What makes a chiropractic adjustment different? Well, this is where chiropractic care stands apart. A specific chiropractic adjustment is not simply cracking a joint. In fact, if making a noise was the goal, anyone could do that. A specific adjustment is what it is, it's very specific. Before performing an adjustment, chiropractors evaluate spinal motion, posture, muscle balance, areas of restriction, and how your body is compensating. The goal is to identify where movement is lacking. Then a specific and controlled force is applied to restore proper motion to that restricted segment. Notice the difference. When people self adjust, they usually move the joints that already move easily. When a chiropractor adjusts, the goal is to improve movement in joints that are not moving properly. Now that's a very different process. So the nervous system connection. Well at Shepherd Chiropractic, we focus on more than just joints. We focus on the relationship between the spine and your nervous system. Your brain constantly receives information from every joint, muscle, ligament, and tissue in your body. Restricted spinal joints can alter the quality of information being sent to the brain. When the proper motion is restored, the nervous system receives more accurate input. That's one reason many patients report improvements not only in pain, but also in flexibility, balance, and overall function. Again, the goal isn't simply making someone pop or crack. The goal is improving how your body functions. So what should you do instead? Well, if you find yourself constantly cracking your neck or back, don't panic. But don't ignore that either. Instead, ask yourself why you feel the need to do so so often. There are several things that can help. Pay attention to your posture. Many modern habits place tremendous stress on your spine. Stay physically active. Movement is medicine. Strengthen your core. Stretch regularly. Take breaks when you're sitting a lot. Make sure your workstation is ergonomically sound. And if this problem keeps returning, consider getting evaluated by a chiropractor. Your body may be telling you something important that you need to listen to. Okay, here's my real world example. I often see patients who say, my neck feels tight all the time. Then they show me how they crack it. Usually it's a dramatic twisting motion. After evaluating them, we frequently find the joints that were repeatedly popping are actually moving too much already. Meanwhile, the joints above and below it are being restricted. And when I take that X-ray, I can visually see where that subluxation and misalignment is located. You know, the body is compensating. Once those restricted areas are addressed appropriately, many patients will notice they will no longer feel the urge to constantly crack their neck. Then this cycle begins to break. That's because we're addressing the cause rather than chasing the symptoms or the pain. So here is my final thoughts. So let's answer today's question. Should you try to adjust yourself? The short answer is no. Not if the goal was to achieve the same thing as a chiropractic adjustment accomplished. You may be able to create a pop. You may even feel temporarily better and have some relief. But self-cracking typically moves the joints that already move easier rather than correcting the joints that are being locked up or truly restricted. A very specific chiropractic adjustment is controlled and focused on improving function throughout the spine and your nervous system. So if you find yourself constantly twisting, turning, stretching, and cracking your neck or back throughout the day, it may be worth having your spine evaluated. You might discover that the area you're trying to pop isn't actually the area that truly needs attention. So at Shepherd Chiropractic, our goal is to help you move better, feel better, and get back to doing the things that you truly enjoy. I hope today's session to help you better understand the difference between self-cracking and a specific chiropractic adjustment. If you're in the Cincinnati area and have questions about your spine posture or nervous system health, we'd love to help. Stop by the office or give us a call as we always accept new patients, because we're here because we want to get to the root of the problem, not just the pop. Until next time, this is Dr. Joe Shepard reminding you to take care of your spine, move often, and keep your body functioning at its best. Until next time, keep your power on. Have a great week and thanks for listening.

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Thanks for joining us on this episode of Dr. Joe's Podcast. Discover more insights on chiropractic, nutrition, and fitness on next week's episode and at Shepherdchiroptic.com.