“Why does my lower back crack?”
I am a 23 year old female. My back cracks very often on its own. Why does my lower back crack?
13 Answers
Well there can be a few reasons, but the sound of a "crack" is the release of pressure between the joints in the body. Most likely, you have a more hypermobile joint symptom in the lower back then others, which allows for the release of pressure within the joints. If you truly feel uncomfortable about it, I would suggest an evaluation and treatment.
You are self-manipulating your spine. Those popping sounds are gas (CO2 and Nitrogen) escaping the joint space. It is generally innocuous if it is done by a professional. It can also be a sign of hypermobility. So, go get checked out by a recommended Chiropractor in your area. He or She should be able to better answer that question as it pertains to you...after examining you.
Hello, that is a common question. The noise itself is explained by the same principle as a champagne bottle making a pop noise as cork is set free. The sudden change in pressure inside a contain space filled with fluid, and in your back that is the pairs of joints in the back of spine called facet joints. When you say often ... does it only crack when turning one way? That could be an imbalance where the opposite side is too tight and the other joint is too loose, so pops easily. the pop only occurs at full stretch on the joint. Try doing some toning like plank and side plank, bird dog exer and see a chiropractor if it keeps up every day. Popping once a week or less can be perfectly normal in some people your age. It is never normal to hurt when it pops, officially called Cavitation if you want to Google that.
The noise is due to the condition of the soft tissues and the disc; or it can be due to structural spinal misalignment.
When a joint "cracks", it can be because it moves. The bones can move into place which is a good thing or out of place which is not so good. Therefore I instruct my patients to not intentionally try to "crack" his back because, yes if the bones go into place, it could feel good, but they also can move out of place (subluxations) which can cause pain at the time or future problems. I had a 13 year old patient back in NY many years ago whose father used to lift her and "crack" her spine. It never caused her any pain until that last time when she went into spasm and couldn't straighten up. Xrays revealed significant osteoarthritis which developed over a long time. He admitted to do this for over 5 years. We think the noise has to do with gases being released from the joints. I also think moving tendons can cause it. Tendons are similar to little ropes that attach muscles to bone.
The cracking is gas releasing from the joints in the lumbar spine. It could be for any number of reasons and it would be very hard to say without a thorough examination.
Your posture during your daily activities is not correct, plus, most likely you have muscle imbalance.
Often the spine will cavitate...or pop when one section is too tight. See a chiropractor and have your spine checked to make sure it is in balance.
The popping noise that you hear is called a “cavitation” and is the release of nitrogen gas from the joint fluid and joint capsule. The nitrogen builds up over time and has enough pressure to cause an audible sound about every 15 mins. Various things like posture, muscle tightness (or even very flexible people), misalignments or certain movements can cause the release of the nitrogen.
Dr. Latza
Dr. Latza
Not knowing much more about your history, if it ‘cracks’ while you’re twisting or moving, it could be a ‘releasing’ of tension. If it’s something that continues and/or is uncomfortable, your spine could possibly be out of alignment.
Skylar Bakko, DC QNCP PAK BFM
Skylar Bakko, DC QNCP PAK BFM
The sound you hear is called “crepitus”. That is the sound that is made by the normal articulating sound of our joints. It is considered normal as long as there is no pain or discomfort. If discomfort is present, see a chiropractor or physical therapist, as they are the ones that deal with that most.
Possibly out of alignment or poor muscle balance.
Some of us just have joints which pop when we move, it is not a sign of an issue necessarily. If there is pain or other issues when the crack occurs, then I would recommend going to a Chiropractor or other spinal professional.
