We have all seen people crack their own necks to try to relieve stiffness or discomfort, and you may well do it yourself without thinking twice. When you crack your neck, the action releases gas or fluid from the joints around the neck, which usually makes you feel better for a short while. The problem is, it does not actually address the underlying issue.
Why Do You Feel the Need to Crack Your Neck?
Neck stiffness is something physiotherapists see constantly, in athletes and non-athletes alike. If you find yourself needing to crack your neck repeatedly, it is often because you have hyper-mobility, or a larger than normal range of motion, in some of your neck joints. Self-cracking only reaches the joints that move most easily. The joints that are genuinely stuck stay stuck, which is exactly why the urge to crack keeps coming back.
What Damage Can Repeated Self-Cracking Do?
Constantly cracking your neck causes pressure to build up in the joints. Over time, this can cause the surrounding ligaments to stretch beyond a stable range and the cartilage in the vertebrae to wear down. This can lead to osteoarthritis, which is serious, irreversible and painful, and it tends to leave the neck feeling even stiffer than before.
Why See a Physiotherapist Instead
Because self-cracking only reaches the most mobile joints and never the ones that are truly restricted, it does not resolve the underlying problem, which is why the need to crack keeps returning. Before treating a neck issue, it is important to carry out a proper examination to determine the underlying cause of chronic pain or stiffness. It is also worth sharing any related symptoms, such as headaches, so the full picture can be considered.
How We Treat Neck Stiffness
Skilled joint manipulation and mobilisation, carried out by a physiotherapist, work through the soft tissue restrictions that are actually causing the pain and stiffness. This addresses the underlying issue directly, rather than temporarily masking it, and reduces the ongoing need to self-crack.
Manual Therapy
Targeted mobilisation and manipulation of the truly restricted joints, rather than the ones that move most easily, gets to the source of the stiffness.
Advice and Prevention
We also advise on changes you can make in daily life, such as posture and workstation setup, to help prevent the problem from returning or getting worse.
When to See a Physiotherapist
If you regularly feel the urge to crack your neck, or if stiffness keeps coming back despite doing so, it is worth having your neck properly assessed rather than continuing to self-manage the symptom.
FAQ
Is cracking your neck occasionally harmful?
Occasional cracking is unlikely to cause serious harm on its own, but a repeated, frequent need to crack your neck is usually a sign that an underlying restriction needs proper assessment and treatment.
Why do only some joints crack when I twist my neck?
Self-cracking only reaches the joints that already move the most freely. The joints that are genuinely stiff or restricted typically do not crack, which is why the sensation of tightness often persists.
Can a physiotherapist actually stop the urge to crack my neck?
Yes, in many cases. By treating the joints that are genuinely restricted through manipulation and mobilisation, physiotherapy addresses the cause of the stiffness rather than just the temporary relief self-cracking provides.
Ready to get started? Book your Initial Physiotherapy Assessment today.
