You know that feeling when you first stand up and stretch after you've been sitting for too long, and you hear a symphony of pops and cracks in your back, neck, and elsewhere? It feels good, doesn't it?
But what's behind all that popping? Should you be worried?
Generally, no. When you 'crack' your back, nothing's actually cracking, splintering, or breaking. There's even a technical term for it: crepitus.
Spinal manipulation, or an 'adjustment,' can be done by yourself or by a professional, such as a chiropractor or other joint and spine specialist.
Let's look at why backs make that 'cracking' noise, some downsides to adjusting your back, and how to do it for the benefits.
Before we dive into how back cracking works, let's talk a little bit about the anatomy of your spine. The spine consists of several major components:
Now that you have a good working knowledge of the spine, let's move on to what's happening when you adjust your back.
The most popular theories propose that adjusting a joint releases gas — no, not that kind of gas.
Here's one process that many experts think is occurring:
An alternative explanation also involves gas. Some experts believe that gases like nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen build up between your joints over time, especially if your joints aren't properly aligned and swell from poor posture like being hunched over or sitting for long periods of time.
When you stretch the joints out or move around in certain ways, the gas is released.
This release of pressure is supposedly what makes back adjustments feel so good to lots of people.
Back cracking also causes endorphins to be released around the area that was adjusted. Endorphins are chemicals produced by the pituitary gland that are meant to manage pain in your body, and they can make you feel super satisfied when you crack a joint.
But there may be another, less physiological and more psychological process at work here.
A 2011 study suggests that you might associate the sound of cracking your back with a positive feeling of relief, especially when a professional chiropractor does it. This is true even if nothing actually happened to the joint — a placebo effect at its finest.
Before we move on, just remember that any back adjustments you or a professional make shouldn't cause you any major pain.
Adjustments may be uncomfortable, especially if you stretch yourself too far or if you're not used to the feeling of a chiropractor manipulating your joints. But you shouldn't feel intense, sharp, or unbearable pain.
Here are some possible risks of adjusting your back incorrectly:
The safest way to crack your back by yourself is by stretching your back muscles.
Many experts recommend yoga or pilates led by a trained professional for the best results, but you can also just do a few back exercises at home for a quick adjustment.
Some of these exercises can also help reduce chronic back pain or increase your range of motion if you do them consistently.
There are several ways to do this that you can make a part of your daily routine. Try one or more of these and see which ones work best for you.
Variations on hand placement include:
Another version of this, as shown above, involves placing your feet higher up; instead pressing your feet into the floor you place them onto a wall and perform the same pelvic lift. This provides different leverage and stretching for your back. It can put more pressure on your upper back or shoulders.
Unless you're a professional chiropractor or licensed to adjust joints, don't try to manipulate individual back joints or discs by yourself — this can cause injury or damage.
Adjusting your back is generally safe if you do it carefully and not too often. Most of all, it should not hurt.
And while there's nothing wrong with regular stretches, compulsively cracking your back a few times a day or more, or doing it too suddenly or forcefully, can be harmful over time.
See a doctor, physical therapist, or a chiropractor if you experience persistent discomfort or pain when you adjust your back, after adjusting (and it doesn't go away), or if you have long-term back pain in general. These could all be signs of a back condition that needs medical treatment.