WHAT IS THE CRACKING SOUND?
Chiropractic treatment involves the manipulation of joints, with the goal of decreasing pain by improving movement and function within that joint. When a joint is adjusted (moved), there is a natural change in the internal pressure of that joint. This change results in the release of gas normally dissolved in the fluid which lubricates the joint. The release of this gas may produce a “crack” or “pop” sound similar to that produced when you open a can of soda.
The cracking sound when a joint is adjusted is release of gas pressure in the joint. There is gas dissolved in the fluid inside joints and when the pressure is altered by stretching it, gas bubbles are released. It is the same thing that happens when you open a can of pop. The purpose of an adjustment is not to make a joint ‘crack’ but rather to normalize the movement and alignment of the joint. The occasional ‘crack’ that occurs is more just a side effect of treatment that many patients welcome.
