Is clicking/cracking your back or neck bad for you?

Does cracking your joints cause arthritis?

26/02/2025 By Jennifer Ellis DC Mchiro

(Approx 1-2 minute read)

IS CRACKING YOUR JOINTS GOOD OR BAD?

Many of us twist, crack, or pop our backs or necks to relieve tension, and while it may feel good in the moment, the real question is: is it safe? The answer depends on the situation and time frame.

What happens when you click a joint?

When you click a joint, you release the pressure in it and we get an audible ‘pop’ sound, but this is joint fluid or nitrogen bubbles being freed rather than the bones themselves. As joint mobility reduces, tension increases and this affects the natural flow of joint fluid. Consequently, we get a build up of joint fluid (which can include nitrogen bubbles) which further restricts our movement, and then releasing this pressure restores movement around the joint, and can (not always) be associated by a clicking sound. To click a joint, you’d take the joint to a high stretch position and then add a little nudge to free the movement up and this last bit of movement is when the click happens.

Is cracking/self-adjusting your back or neck good or bad?

Spinal adjustments, which involve mobilising the vertebrae to improve function and often associated with an audible ‘click’, are commonly done by licensed chiropractors. When performed by a trained professional, these adjustments are carefully controlled and can help alleviate pain. They shouldn’t be painful, they should not exceed your bodies natural range of movement and you may feel or hear a ‘click’ as the pressure releases inside the joint capsule. The sound is from pressure release in the joint fluid, like a champagne bottle, rather than from the bones themselves. However, self-adjusting, which is where you crack your own neck or back often involves harsher twisting or snapping movements, and can consequently come with risks. Without proper technique, you could strain muscles, ligaments, discs, blood vessels or injure your spine.

Is cracking your joints good or bad?

While cracking your back or neck once in a while might not cause immediate harm, frequent self-adjusting can hide underlying issues like poor posture, joint conditions, instability or even more serious conditions that require professional assessment. Long term, as it stretches the joint capsule each time, it can lead to weak ligaments, joint instability or stress on the muscles, tendons or discs.

It is also important to be mindful of other structures in the areas such as blood vessels, cartilage, and to know how to avoid impingement on these as you stretch the joint. There are also natural variations that are with us from birth such as ponticles, shape and angles of our joints and more, or there may be some degenerative changes such as bone spurs to account for when deciding the best way to treat a joint.

Over time, constantly “cracking” your spine to relieve discomfort can create dependency and therefore cause more issues further down the line as each time you stretch the joint capsule to get the '‘click’ sound, you are also stretching all the surrounding ligaments and connective tissues.

This repetitive habit can lead to joint instability or overstretched ligaments, especially if you’re naturally hypermobile. In these cases, your joints may already exceed their normal range of motion, meaning the sensation you're chasing with each crack might not be what your body actually needs and is actually going to make the situation worse 5-10 years down the line.

So no, the clicking in the moment is very unlikely to cause harm, unless you are body slamming it as far as it could possibly go. Long term, you can create a self-perpetuating cycle of instability and are probably missing the underlying cause for why the tension is building up in those areas.

Why does it feel like it needs to click?

The need to click will occur when the joint pressure builds up. If you feel the need to click multiple times a day, or that the pressure or tension comes back immediately then it is most likely that you are missing the primary restriction or imbalance. If you feel like you need to crack all the time, it is likely due to muscle imbalances, posture, weakness in certain areas, underlying hypermobility that is unregulated or more.

One of the most commonly self-adjusted areas is the neck. People often twist and pop it, believing they’re relieving tension, but in reality, this is normally due to the main restriction being in the upper back or cervicothoracic junction. One this areas is mobilised correctly, the stress no longer builds up in the neck, and the feeling that you need to click it goes away. So that satisfying click? It might be misleading you.

It will feel good at the time due to the immediate pressure release, and a localised release of pain-reducing chemicals, however if this builds up again quickly then its likely that another movement pattern or underlying cause needs to be investigated.

Does cracking your joints cause arthritis?

No. There is no direct cause and effect between cracking your joints and arthritis. However, both may (not always) be due to repetitive strain or movements. When this rumour started, it was due to the fact that both were common in people that used their hands a lot (ie seamstress before the days of sewing machine). On a day to day basis, because of the strain on the joints and tendons, their hands would be ‘clickier’ than someone that didn’t. Over time, these people were also more likely to develop osteoarthritis. But both the clicking and the arthritis was associated with decades of repetitive use, rather than the clicking causing the arthritis.

Conclusion

If you're dealing with chronic pain or discomfort, it's always wise to consult a healthcare professional. Chiropractic care or physical therapy may provide a safer, more effective solution for maintaining spinal health than relying on self-adjustments.

In conclusion, while self-adjusting isn’t inherently dangerous, it’s important to listen to your body. If discomfort persists, seeking professional help is crucial to avoid potential harm in the long run.

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