Cracking joints?

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Hi all, I'm relatively new here.I read the other post about cracking knuckles, and the responses were mixed. My problem is about cracking my back, (both upper and lower) and neck. I picked up the habit from stretching during sports, and now my back and neck is stiff/tense/sore if I don't. Does anyone know what causes someone to need to crack their joints? Thanks in advance.

Cracking feels g-o-o-d. I'm not sure that it's the cracking that feels good, or just the stretching. Hearing and feeling the crack may just be mentally satisfying. What causes the noise when you crack a joint?

Its habit. I think you should stop if it hurts...even if cracking your back again would give you temporary relief. I dunno much about the spine.

Yeah, I am trying to cut back. If i'm like this now (16 yrs old) I'm gonna be an arthritic lump when i'm older. But I agree w/ SteveA, it does feel good. My excessive joint cracking kind of creeps my mom out though. Does anyone think its worth seeing a doctor about this?

I'm not aware of any evidence that cracking causes arthritis. Just don't smoke crack.This is the kind of thing to call your doctor about, rather than scheduling an appointment, if it really bothers you.

that's a good idea (calling a dr.), I should do that.Well, thats the question, why do people feel the need to crack their joints? If cracking joints doesn't cause arthritis, then is some sort of joint problem causing the need to crack them?

It's not a joint problem, it's a brain problem, a habit, like biting finger nails or twisting hair. Just thinking about it makes me have to crack my fingers, which grosses out some of my friends, which is pretty funny.There are downsides to things like fingernail biting, but I'm not aware of any problem with joint cracking. In fact, I can crack my toes without touching them, and someone I once dated thought that was pretty cool.

haha, I can crack my toes like that too.I crack my knuckles a lot and I haven't had a problem with those. I play piano and violin, so I'd notice if they started getting stiff or something. But I have noticed more back/neck stiffness. So its kind of contradictory, I guess

I think i hear once that cracking joints is a release of air that forms in them. But i also heard that cracking them over a long period can lead to a wear on your joints(if not done properly). This was from a chiropractor

I have to crack my fingers every time I see "Re: Cracking joints?" in the list.

dude u need tostop right now i crack my knees and my knuckles and it hurts to type and walk and i am 14

Iv always loved to crack my joints lol, and it has never hurt lol

If it hurts to type and walk, you have problems besides cracking your joints.

lol you prolly have arthritis or somthin

Nope, and I'll bet I'm a lot older than you.

You are very right aTa7! When you pop your back (I reccomend a chiropractor doing this [or my dad..lmao] so you don't hurt yourself) you are indeed realeasing pockets of air that have built up between your joints - most of the time. There is no evidence whatsoever that cracking your joints for this reason causes arthritis. However, I will give you a word of caution. If it causes you ANY pain at all - STOP! That WILL lead to arthritis. You have this stuff called synovial fluid (I'm pretty sure that's what it's called) that lubricates your joints and all that jazz to keep your joints lubricated and produce smooth fluid movement. If you're knicking the cartilage at the end of your bones it can cause it to become rough, jagged, and inflammed (hence the name arthritis. Arthr/o = joint, itis=inflammation). There are all typs of arthritis: osteoarthritis, RA (rheumatoid arthritis), "The Gout", anklyosing spondylitis (my grandmother has RA, gout, and this pain in the butt to pronounce spondylitis thing), juvenile arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, fibromyalgia, and the list goes on. Most of these above are genetic.Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage at the end of the bones begins to deteriorate causing the bones to rub together.Rheumatoid arthritis is VERY painful. Let's hope none of your are genetically predisposed to this. It is an autoimmune disease that causes the joints to be inflammed due to the activity of the immune system. It effects most women."The Gout" as many "fondly" refer to it effects mainly smaller joints, especially the big toe. It effects mostly men. Extremely painful when exacerbations occur. Standing let alone walking may be impossible. Exacerbations can be avoided with medicine.Anklyosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that effects the spine. As a result of the inflammation the bones grow together (pleasant isn't it?).Juvenile arthritis is a general term used for arthritis found in children. From RA to lupus.Lupus is a disorder that can effect joints and other connective tissues througout the body. Yes, it is very serious. Preventing and avoiding exacerbations is very important.Fibromyalgia effects mainly women and it targets the muscles and other attachments to the bone. There are general types of arthritis that are caused from just general everyday use. You can however do things to ease the pain of arthritis (no not pills guys). Exercise! You may commence groaning now. Okay! Now that it's out of your system let me tell you why. Exercise can reduce joint stiffness and pain and build strong muscle around the joints as well as build endurance and increase flexibility. Not to mention you can control your weight and sleep better, give you more energy, and promote overall health. It can also reduce the risk for osteoporosis and heart disease. If you have arthritis you should consult your doctor for an exercise regime that is suitable for you.NOTE TO WOMEN On average arthritis effects TWICE as many of us as it does men. This is just me, but I am a very firm believe that there's a link between arthritis and osteoporosis. I do not know if anyone else has looked into this or not (Steve, do you think you could help me out here?) If you are at risk for osteoporosis (as I am and most other women) take a calcium supplement or drink lots of milk. You can start losing bone density as early as 35!!

In reply to:I am a very firm believe that there's a link between arthritis and osteoporosis. I do not know if anyone else has looked into this or not (Steve, do you think you could help me out here?)I have no idea, but I'm sure there's a correlation between them (e.g., they're both relatively common in the elderly); it may be that what leads to one of the degenerative bone diseases might also lead to the other. But that doesn't necessarily mean that osteoporosis leads to osteoarthritis.Unfortunately I couldn't find any enlightening information on the topic.

Hey, I am a student and I work at an Orthopedics Center. I don't know everything about cracking your back, but I know that the spine doctor here saw me crack my back one day and told me to be REALLY careful. He said that it's not specifically bad to crack your back, but what it does, is it loosens all of the ligaments and things, so you have a better chance of injuring your back.Hope that helped!

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that is the first intelligent thing i red on this page yet. just when i was going to go somewhere else. thanks for the info