Self Adjusting, Good or Bad?
Do you find yourself sitting at your desk, “cracking” your neck or back throughout the day? We see people everyday who pop or crack their own neck and back. People do this “self-manipulation” to give themselves temporary relief of pain and stiffness, and it quickly becomes an easy habit that they repeat throughout the day. It feels good, so they keep doing it. However, the relief from a self-manipulation does not last.
What’s the Difference?
Chiropractors are well known for performing joint adjustments. An adjustment is a quick and shallow force, directed into a joint, to help it move more freely throughout its range of motion. This adjustment is often, but not always, accompanied by a popping sound. A chiropractic adjustment has several characteristics that make it different from a self-manipulation. One of the most important differences is specificity: the ability to direct an adjustment towards an individual joint and in a chosen direction. This specificity comes with years of training in palpation, spinal anatomy, force vectors, and of course practice.
Self-manipulation doesn’t target your specific misalignments but instead releases the areas around the affected area. When someone self-manipulates their neck, they are more than likely popping the joint that is already moving the most, rather than the joint that is “stuck” and producing the pain and stiffness. This non-specific movement is why the relief from self-manipulation is temporary. Temporary relief occurs because of an automatic release of endorphins (feel-good chemicals) that occurs when a joint is manipulated. However, lasting relief does not occur because the source of the symptoms is still there. The restricted joint that was stiff and causing pain is still stuck, while the joint next to it is moving more than ever. In contrast, during an adjustment, the chiropractor finds and adjusts the stuck joint to help resolve the restriction and provide longer-lasting pain relief.
What is that Popping Sound?
The pop is called a cavitation, and is caused by a process called tribonucleation. Basically, when the joint surfaces get pulled apart, there is a certain point when the fluid inside the joint cannot expand any more and a gas layer is created. The formation of the gas layer causes a cavitation and a “pop”. Cavitations themselves are unrelated to the pain-relief experienced after an adjustment. The pain-relief instead comes from the improvement in joint motion, relaxation of muscles, and reduction in nerve irritation that results from the adjustment.
In conclusion, don’t crack or adjust yourself, it’s very different than a chiropractor’s adjustment. Speak to a licensed chiropractor, and let them determine why you developed this habit. It’s always a good idea to have a check-up by a professional who can help lead you on the path to health and wellness!
