Is Chiropractic “neck cracking” safe?

“Are you sure won’t snap my neck?”

“What if you paralyze me?”

Due to the rise of the youtube chiropractor, these are questions I hear A LOT in clinical practice, and I’ll be the first to admit that the neck cracking Chiropractic is famous for is a little bit strange…but I can assure you it is incredibly safe and feels amazing! And yes, while it does bear a resemblance to the moves shown in all those action movies, Chiropractors are highly trained to recognize and diagnose signs and symptoms that could cause or be related to any potential adverse reactions. If we see anything that suggests the neck crack isn’t for you, we won’t do it; it’s as simple as that. We will adapt our treatment, and we have a plethora of other tools in our chiropractic toolbox that can help you with your stiff or painful neck. These tools range from stretching, traction, massage, or medical acupuncture, to name but a few.

Now that crack, termed an audible release, is not bones snapping, breaking, or anything sinister like that. It is precisely the same noise as cracking your knuckles and is causing gas bubbles to form and then pop in the joint. While we are on this subject, this is also safe and doesn’t cause arthritis-like your mum used to tell you either. The joints we manipulate in your spine have a capsule around them and fluid in this capsule to help them move freely without any friction. As the joints move during manipulation, the pressure changes in the joint and bubbles of gas form and pop, creating that famous, and incredibly satisfying (yes, I know you’ve watched the videos on youtube), CRACK!!

So, what about the benefits?

The proper term for the neck cracking is cervical manipulation, and its magical secret lies in a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust (HVLA) and where it is applied. Chiropractors will initially palpate your spine to locate the restricted spinal joints and it is these that we will manipulate. For us to then get the pop, we chiropractors perform a super short and sharp movement to achieve the therapeutic benefits. It is this fast and small movement, which means its both safe and effective. An adjustment stimulates mechanoreceptors in the facet joints of your spine, causing the muscles and joints themselves to relax and become freer. The key benefits are that it quickly reduces pain, increases your range of motion, and improves the function of your spine.

Similarly, it doesn’t only help with stiff and sore necks, but it has also been shown to help with everything from certain types of headaches to brain fog and even whiplash. Even If you aren’t suffering, chiropractic treatment can still help you with your overall function, musculoskeletal health, and general well-being. Personally, I like to get adjusted at least once a month to ensure I’m always feeling at my best.