What causes the “cracking” noises during manipulation?
During manipulation of joints, you will often hear a “cracking” or “popping” sound. This sound is caused by the rapid release of gas that builds up inside of our joints. This is very similar to the sound that you hear when you open a bottle of soda. Most people fear that somehow their bones are breaking or that there is damage occuring to their joints. Most people are familiar with the old-wives’ tale that relates the cracking of knuckles with causing arthritis in hands. This is simply not true, as new research suppoorts the idea that cracking joints may be beneficial. A study preformed by Dr. Tyler Cymet at Johns Hopkins University found that osteoarthritis is more common in those who have never cracked their joints, Dr. Cymet told Reuters Health News in 2005.
