Cracking Your Own Neck or Back

Patients' often ask "Is it okay to crack my own neck or back?"

Stretching is recommended but self adjusting or popping your own back or neck is not a good idea and invites more injury.

When someone feels like they need to pop their own neck or back it is an indicator that something is wrong.  It usually indicates that there is some restricted motion in your neck and back that needs to be addressed by a trained chiropractor.  

The reason you should NOT self manipulate is that restricted motion at a specific location in your back cannot be isolated by doing a general twisting maneuver.  

1. Chiropractors find the specific areas to treat, isolate them with specialized technique and attempt to restore NORMAL motion not hyper mobility that would result from self adjusting.  

2. Most realize that self popping does not resolve the problem and then a patient will repeat 2-3 times per day or more.  This equates to 20 or more improper maneuvers per week.... creating a bigger problem.   

3. Most of the time it's easier to move one side than the other, resulting in a gradual rotation of the spine combined with hyper mobility.

Do yourself a favor - come in and see one of our Roseville Chiropractors, get a proper treatment, stop "cracking yourself" and start feeling better with combined exercise, stretching, good posture and experienced advise.

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