Inspired by chiropractors - what REALLY does "cracking" do?

[grinningghost]

Look, I love chiropractors, but I can also "crack" just about every part of my body, with minimal, or sometimes no effort.

And almost ALWAYS - I get an instant sense of relief. Like something that was "stuck" is now free, therefore, making me feel "better".

Just exactly WHAT is the "cracking" accomplishing to make me feel "better"? Is it physiological or psychological?

 

[mudnuri]

my chiropractor NEVER has cracked myself, or my DD's our spines are manipulated, NOT cracked...

The x- he gets cracked...usually his neck when he cant turn....

Dont know what it does, but know i've never had it done.

I crack my nuckles, but thats a habit, certainly doesnt feel any different after

Brandy

 

[grinningghost]

I crack my nuckles, but thats a habit, certainly doesnt feel any different after

Brandy

I'm a habitual knuckle-cracker as well. You really don't feel "better" after you crack them? I can really tell when they "need" to be cracked, and after I do, they feel so much more loose and flexible.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

DH has me crack his back because he is in pain. I crack it and he feels better.

 

[grinningghost]

DH has me crack his back because he is in pain. I crack it and he feels better.

Same here. We all feel better after being cracked. There has to be something to it.

 

[SDFgirl]

My cousin is an Occupational Therapist, who specializes in hands, and she says that cracking knuckles doesn't do anything bad to your hand.

I also crack my knuckes as well as my toes. (Sorry, maybe TMI!!) It feels good, like you said, as if something is being loosened or relieved.

 

[lulugirl]

Just say no to crack....

 

[grinningghost]

I also crack my knuckes as well as my toes. (Sorry, maybe TMI!!) It feels good, like you said, as if something is being loosened or relieved.

My DD and I both crack our toes too.

 

[ReadingBelle]

I crack my back all the time, and it always makes it feel better. I have no idea what causes this. Strangely, I would be really hesitant to have a chiropractor "crack" me... I'd be worried he/she would injure me. Maybe I've seen too many action movies...

 

[palmtreegirl]

I'm a cracker too.

I crack my knuckles, toes, ankles, elbows, knees, neck, shoulders, wrists, back and even my jaw.

 

[Sparx]

I've never been to a chiropractor, but I can crack almost everything too. I've also wondered.

 

[sha_lyn]

from what I understand cracking releases trapped gasses from the joint.

When a DC adjust, there may/may not be a cracking noise. However my neck will often make a "clunk" sound when adjusted. My hip I will feel it but not hear anything. My mid back does crack/pop

 

[Marseeya]

Well, I can tell you basically what a chiropractor told me once.

I'd cracked my neck for years and always thought it felt good. I started having horrible headaches, then really bad neck pain -- it was intolerable. Went to a chiro and he took x-rays and asked me if I "self-manipulated" and I admitted to it. He told me that I gave myself a reverse whiplash and it would take a very long time for my neck to get back to normal. He ordered me to stop cracking my neck. I guess I was manipulating my neck the wrong way. I haven't done it since -- the occasional times I get neck pain, I take some motrin and if the pain doesn't go away, I go see my doctor (he's an osteopath, so I don't need a chiropractor anymore).

So stop cracking your necks!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

The noise you hear is fluid and air.

 

[CathrynRose]

Look, I love chiropractors, but I can also "crack" just about every part of my body, with minimal, or sometimes no effort.

And almost ALWAYS - I get an instant sense of relief. Like something that was "stuck" is now free, therefore, making me feel "better".

Just exactly WHAT is the "cracking" accomplishing to make me feel "better"? Is it physiological or psychological?

It's a release of air, located between your joints...

My g/f is a Chiropractor.

 

[Shugardrawers]

from what I understand cracking releases trapped gasses from the joint.

I do that all the time and it doesn't involve cracking anything! Come visit us on the fart thread!

 

[eeyore74]

I also crack my knuckes as well as my toes. (Sorry, maybe TMI!!) It feels good, like you said, as if something is being loosened or relieved.

I'm a toe cracker too! I dance, we are up on the balls of our feet a lot, and you don't want a toe cramp then. In fact, my friend and I in class last night were laughing since we both got crampy toes. I finally got mine to crack and it really helps. (I think it took longer since it got really cold yesterday.)

My knees crack all the time with no help.

DH cracks everything he can. I hate his neck cracks. They gross me out for some reason.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I crack my right ankle 10x a day. Always feels better when I do.