Ever wondered what that "pop" sound is when you are getting adjusted?
People think it may be caused by bones breaking, popcorn popping in the spine, or something more alarming.
The truth is actually a very simple concept that can be explained by our body's natural processes. Your anatomy explains it all!
A joint in the body is when two bones meet. Each joint is surrounded by a capsule. This capsule acts like a water balloon and provides the necessary nutrients, lubrication, and stability for each joint. When joints move, they create CO2 gas as a normal waste byproduct. This gas collects in the joint capsule (more gas is created in a dysfunctional moving joint - a story for another time). When chiropractors assess each joint, they are looking for the ones that are not functioning correctly or are out of their natural alignment. During the adjustment, these joint capsules get quickly stretched which releases the pressure of that gas within the capsule. A popping sound does not equate to an actual chiropractic adjustment, but rather is a naturally occurring release of gas. Think of it this way, when you open a can of soda, you get an immediate 'pop' as the compressed gas (actually the same gas as in our joints, CO2) gets released. So basically every time you hear a pop come from your chiropractic adjustment, it's like your can of soda just released gas. Kids in our office refer to these sounds as popcorn, or joint farts.
If you are apprehensive about these sounds, rest assured that these pops are not dangerous or painful. However, not every pop sound that comes from your joints is a good thing. If you hear a pop and it is accompanied by pain that does not subside within seconds or minutes, it is likely that was not a joint capsule releasing gas. Some other 'pops' that can happen when you sustain an injury could be from: ligaments tearing or detaching from the bone, disc herniations, or muscle tears. These injuries usually happen in a state of trauma. Like a football injury, lifting too heavy, or dysfunctional tight muscles that cannot sustain the stretch you put on them.
Something to keep in mind:
Muscle tightness, poor posture habits, decreased range of motion, leg length discrepancies, are all signs that your joints are stressed!
If you are experiencing any of those things, take the time to reach out to us at Thrive Family Chiropractic and get checked. There is no pressure to join the hundreds of practice members at our office. But you need to know the state of your body before you are forced to see us after a joint injury. Prevention is the only cure to injury.
Do NOT self adjust or 'pop' your own joints.
Leave that to the professionals who know how each joint works. When you pop your own spine, you are likely popping unstable joints and causing future damage. When we work on these patients who are addicted to cracking themselves, we find that they have damaged loose ligaments. This leads to more muscle tension, more degeneration, and more pain.
Monday 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 11:00am & 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Wednesday 2:00pm - 6:30pm
Thursday 8:00am - 11:00am & 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday CLOSED
Serving the communities of Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Westminster, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Newport Beach, Garden Grove, Santa Ana
Thrive Family Chiropractic
18141 Beach Blvd Ste 150, Huntington Beach, California 92648