When you sit still at your desk for long hours, your neck and back may crack and pop when you finally stand up. Is this normal? Should you be concerned? Find out why your neck cracks and your back pops, and why you should leave to the professionals at Spine Correction Center of the Rockies. Why Joints Crack It’s a commonly held belief that the cracking and popping sounds you hear when you twist and bend your back comes from bubbles popping in your joints. This theory, which was originally introduced in the 1970s, may actually be wrong. Epson stylus nx400 software update. Here are the more likely reasons your joints crack: • Bubbles forming: Rather than the cracking sound coming from bubbling popping, many researchers now believe it’s actually from the formation of bubbles.

• Spine Cracks With Every Movement

Osteoporosis and Spine Fractures. In this Article In this Article. When osteoporosis has made your bones weak, the chances are higher that they’ll crack or break, even the bones of your spine. What Might Be Causing Cracking or Grinding in the Neck Area? Any type of noise or sensation coming from the neck is referred to as crepitus or crepitation. There are many movable joints in the cervical spine (neck), which are normally coated with an oily substance called synovial fluid that allows for smooth movement. Spinal instability: abnormal movement between two vertebrae that can cause pain or damage the spinal cord and nerves. Vertebral compression fracture (VCF): a break in the vertebral body of the spine causing it to collapse and produce a wedge-shaped deformity.

Spine Cracks With Every Movement

Greg Kawchuk, the lead author of a 2015 study, says bubbles form as the joint surfaces separate because there’s not enough joint fluid to fill the enlarged space. A gas-filled cavity is created, and that’s what makes the sound you associate with cracking your back. • Bubbles being released: Putting pressure on a joint could also cause the oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide gases present between joints to release, similar to the release of gases when you open a soda can. • Negative pressure: Another theory is that when the joint surfaces separate, synovial fluid rushes in to fill the gap.

The influx of fluid is what makes the noise and creates a particular sensation when you pop a joint. • Tendons and ligaments: It’s possible that the “popping” sound you hear isn’t actually a joint popping at all. What you could be hearing is the sound of a tendon quickly snapping over a joint or a ligament tightening quickly when the joint moves. These sounds most often occur in the knee or ankle joints when you stand up from a seated position or walk up and down the stairs. Is it Dangerous to Pop Your Back? Sometimes a quick movement here or a twist there will accidentally cause your back or neck to pop.

As long as this only happens in moderation, you have nothing to worry about. However, you should never seek to pop your back or crack your neck in order to relieve pain or stiffness. When you purposefully pop your back too often, you could stretch the ligaments to the point of becoming unstable.