Relieving Neck Stiffness: Is Self-Cracking Necks a Bad Idea?

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ranger
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I get the urge to crack my neck once everyday to relieve the stiffness. The urge is even stronger after I put in some good hours of reading or computer related activities. And man does it feel good!
But I fear that there may be some medical implications to this. Like maybe tearing something that may show up in the long run. I've never been to a chiropractor to get it done. I always do it myself with a gentle twist.
Is this bad? Maybe there are certain routines or exercises that I can do to relieve the stiffness in my neck?

thanks.
 
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there has never been evidence that cracking joints leads to malady
 
ranger said:
I get the urge to crack my neck once everyday to relieve the stiffness. The urge is even stronger after I put in some good hours of reading or computer related activities. And man does it feel good!
But I fear that there may be some medical implications to this. Like maybe tearing something that may show up in the long run. I've never been to a chiropractor to get it done. I always do it myself with a gentle twist.
Is this bad? Maybe there are certain routines or exercises that I can do to relieve the stiffness in my neck?

thanks.
Nothing feels better than a good "zipper" crack, when the vertibrae pop one by one in ascending order. I can get that the morning after a long bike ride.
 
I think I read somewhere that it's actually tendons sliding over not so smooth outcroppings of bone...

Not 100% certain though.
 
My brother cracks his neck all the time. It freaks the crap out of me. It sounds and looks like someone breaking their own neck! I do crack my knuckles though...breaking fingers is apparently not as creepy to me.:rolleyes:
 
Chi Meson said:
Nothing feels better than a good "zipper" crack, when the vertibrae pop one by one in ascending order. I can get that the morning after a long bike ride.

Hell yea! :!)
 
Muscles feel tight, you crack your neck...streching the ligaments. As the ligaments become looser, the small muscles {that connect one vertebra to the other} become tighter, to support your head, doing the work the ligaments should be doing. These small muscles get tight, making you feel like you want to crack your neck again. The cycle goes on and on.
 
EVERYTIME I see this thread I have to crack my neck.

Ranger, you are in DEEP trouble.
 
ranger said:
Hell yea! :!)
I got to admit, that is pretty cool when it happens.
 
Evo said:
EVERYTIME I see this thread I have to crack my neck.

Ranger, you are in DEEP trouble.

Oh Evo, once you start cracking, it becomes an addictive habit.