Is It Safe to Click Your Neck and Back

Most of the people have this habit of moving and stretching the neck and back by applying pressure after sitting in one posture for a long time. If this stretching is followed by a clicking or popping sound, you may find yourself in pretty relaxed state afterwards. But the question here is if this clicking of neck or back is safe.

Neck and back are basically connected by the spine which contains a network of connected bones on each side of vertebrae interface. These bones can become locked if you are sitting in a position for a long time. When you do the self-adjustment, the bones may release, leading to a negative pressure situation.

According to a study at University of Alberta in Canada, the popping sound is actually generated due to the movement of synovial fluid which tends to occupy the vacuum when you apply pressure to your joints.

Now you may think what the big deal is when this fluid moves. Well, it’s not beneficial either. As a matter of fact, it may give you some side effects even though you may be feeling well for a time being after stretching your joints in the back and your neck. Anything which doesn’t provide long-term solution has the full capability to turn out to be problematic.

The risk involved

As mentioned above, neck and back are connected with the spine which runs vertically from the middle of the back up to the skull. It’s a complex structure which contains a network of 34 bones linked with the spine. Hence, you may not know what you do when you apply pressure in order to stretch a bit.

When you do the self-adjustment, you basically tighten the bones and joints which are connected to the spine. This may result in permanent locking of the joints and bones. Remember, the complete lock doesn’t happen immediately. This process is lapsed over a long period of time. But when it happens, you may not be able to move and stretch your neck and back with ease. Sometimes, the situation becomes so severe that the lock makes it impossible for the neck and back to endure the minor movements.

So, what are your options?

The best solution you can go for is to consult your chiropractor in order to get your problem treated for good. While stretching during self-adjustment process is a temporary solution, your chiropractor would know what kind of movement is going to give you permanent kind of relief.

As a matter of fact, you should consult your chiropractor if you think you need to click your back or neck to get some relief.