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SearchA neurosurgeon weighs in on whether cracking your neck is a bad habit to kick and offers alternatives for tension relief.
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CLEVELAND - Many of us crack our necks to relieve some tension without thinking twice about it.
But is it actually bad for us?
“Cracking your neck is fine as long as you do it infrequently and without great force. It's kind of like anything in life – a little bit is fine, but too much can be a bad thing,” explained Deborah Benzil, MD, a neurosurgeon at Cleveland Clinic.
Since the spine is flexible, Dr. Benzil said the same goes for cracking your back.
But doing it too frequently or with too much force can cause joint instability, pinched nerves and other injuries.
That’s why Dr. Benzil stressed it’s important to find other ways to relieve tension.
This includes doing strengthening exercises and stretches for our spine on a regular basis.
Dr. Benzil also encouraged people to maintain good posture, especially those with office jobs.
“If you're working at a keyboard that's too far down, you're forcing yourself to be forward,” Dr. Benzil said. “However, if you're working with your chair at the right height, and with your equipment at the right height, it's going to help you maintain better posture.”
Dr. Benzil added those regularly experiencing neck or back pain should check in with their doctor to find out what’s causing it.
