Effects of neck cracking

[John Paul Jones]

Okay, so I've been cracking my neck for 1 1/2 years now, and just this past month, I've noticed that there's another bone in my chest that also cracks. So basically when I sometimes crack my neck, I feel another bone crack at around the middle part of the rib cage near my heart. Does that make sense to anyone?

Here's a picture that I've googled (I hope that this is okay to do): http://www.medicalook.com/systems_images/Rib_cage.jpg

My guess is that the bone crack is at the "sternal angle"

I'm not sure if I should worry about this, but the thoughts of it snapping and puncturing my heart is pretty scary.

[Northern Lights]

Why do you crack your neck?

[John Paul Jones]

I'm not sure. It's like cracking my knuckles I suppose..

[Fool's Requiem]

Originally Posted by Northern Lights

Why do you crack your neck?

I know I crack my neck if it feels stiff. From what I understand when you "crack" your bones you don't actually crack your bones.

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

The physical mechanism is as yet unproven, but suggested theories include:

1. Cavitation within the joint—small cavities of partial vacuum form in the fluid then rapidly collapse, producing a sharp sound. This explains the popping that can occur in any joint, such as during spinal manipulation. Synovial fluid cavitation is the most likely theory and substantial evidence exists in support of it. (Discussed in detail below.)
2. Rapid stretching of ligaments.
3. Adhesions being broken, which simply means that as two cartilage surfaces are pressed together, they form adhesions, and when the joints are separated this makes the popping or cracking sound.

Of these theories perhaps the most popular is cavitation. When a manipulation is performed, the applied force separates the articular surfaces of a fully encapsulated synovial joint, which in turn creates a reduction in pressure within the joint cavity. In this low pressure environment, some of the gases that are dissolved in the synovial fluid (which are naturally found in all bodily fluids) leave the solution creating a bubble or cavity, which rapidly collapses upon itself, resulting in a "clicking" sound. This process is known as cavitation. The contents of the resultant gas bubble are thought to be mainly carbon dioxide. The effects of this process will remain for a period of time known as the "refractory period", which can range from a few minutes to some hours while it is slowly reabsorbed back into the synovial fluid. There is some evidence that ligament laxity may be associated with an increased tendency to cavitate.

[Keychain]

Cracking your knuckles can lead to arthritis if done regularly over a long period time. As far as your problem, I've never ever heard or seen someone crack a part of their torso. It doesn't sound good IMHO.

[Fool's Requiem]

Originally Posted by KeyChainDude29

Cracking your knuckles can lead to arthritis if done regularly over a long period time. As far as your problem, I've never ever heard or seen someone crack a part of their torso. It doesn't sound good IMHO.

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

The common parental advice "cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis" is not supported by any evidence, but habitual knuckle crackers are more likely to have hand swelling and lower grip strength.

Reference: Castellanos J., Axelrod D. (1990). "Effect of habitual knuckle cracking on hand function". Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases: 49(5):308–9.

The wiki quote is my response.

[Isis]

Originally Posted by KeyChainDude29

Cracking your knuckles can lead to arthritis if done regularly over a long period time. As far as your problem, I've never ever heard or seen someone crack a part of their torso. It doesn't sound good IMHO.

Research I've seen says this is not true.


As for one of your ribs snapping and puncturing your heart, I seriously doubt you would be able to do that just by the stretching motion when cracking your neck. Your ribs are connected to your sternum by connective tissue type material so they have give in them (otherwise they wouldn't expand when you breathe). I have had this happen to me as well so I know what you're talking about with feeling something popping in your chest.

[WTF d00ds?]

Originally Posted by keychaindude29

Cracking your knuckles can lead to arthritis if done regularly over a long period time. As far as your problem, I've never ever heard or seen someone crack a part of their torso. It doesn't sound good IMHO.

That's been proven false, and is basically an old wives tale (like the hairy palms or going blind thing). It actually helps aleviate pressure in your joints and has been proven to be therapudic (sp?) for them. Chiropractors will purposely "crack" peoples' joints during sessions.

[John Paul Jones]

Thanks a lot Isis, and others. I know it wouldn't happen, but I was just extremely cautious because I've never had that happen to me before.

So did the "pops" in your chest ever go away, or does it still happen?

[Northern Lights]

Wait... you've never had your heart punctured by a rib before?

No sh*t.

[Creeper]

Man, I've actually been feeling this same pressure around my heart and thought I was in trouble. This thread makes me feel better. I'm gonna crack my neck RIGHT NOW.

[Neo Matrix]

That area in my chest "cracks" all the time when I really go for a stretch of the area. You know those early morning wake up-type stretches... Never heard of arthiritis in that area.

Neck, back, chest, shoulder (I have sorta dislocated it about 5 times in the past though), fingers, wrists, elbows, toes. The only other one I haven't had is my knees (but I had Osgood-Schlatters (sp?) there), but I know from others that it happens. I think even my hips have done it before...

[Fool's Requiem]

Originally Posted by Northern Lights

Wait... you've never had your heart punctured by a rib before?

No sh*t.

I'm not sure if your joking or not, but I think he means that he's never felt the popping in his chest before.

[Taomo]

dont use pillow when you sleep... it will reduce the pain in ur neck