Cracking your back/neck

[xdrummer2000]

I am just wondering something...what makes the popping sound when you crack your back or neck? And how many of you crack your back/neck?

[Dave Heim]

Back, yes.  Neck, no - I let my chiropractor do that for me.

"Cracking" your knuckles & joints forces fluid from one part of the joint to another.  The popping is the high pressured movement of the fluid.  Um, assuming you haven't actually cracked anything.

[smoggrocks]

hmmm. i was told the cracking noise was actually a gas being released. not THAT type of gas, just compressed air between the vertebrae.

i crack my back, neck and hips a lot. feels great. but i don't do anything jarring. a nice way to stretch and crack after a long day is to lie completely flat on a bare or lightly carpeted floor, raise your knees and keep bottom of feet glued to floor, then slowly move your lower pelvis toward the ceiling. even if you don't crack, this is a nice relaxing stretch that gives you energy.

[Sean Welch]

Most of the joints on my body crack (the only ones I can think off offhand that don't are my elbows) without much effort.  I was told that it means my joints are "mobile" and that it is a good thing - as long as you're not forcing the joints to 'pop' in a direction they don't already move normally.

One of my ankles cracks loud enough to scare the cats off the bed at night :o

[Jon E]

I am a crack addict. ::)

OK, I have a lot of stuff that cracks.  Neck, back, ankles, knees, knuckles.

I guess that's about it.

[psycht]

My (big) toes crack at will and loudly.  I crack & back my neck often, normally because I have bad posture when I'm at work. heheh

[Puck]

My neck is a veritable minefield of crackage. It just sounds like one huge long crack. Quite amusing way to freak girls out. ;D.

My theory is that cracking must be good, since it doesnt happen again straight after you've done it.. (unless your doing something stupid like rolling your head... like a pepper grinder :-\)

[ProudArmenian]

I crack my knucles, back, whenever i sit down on the floor for a while my ankles and knees crack. I usually crack my back when my back hurts, I have bad back problems so it's more of a reflex or an instinct with me.