Expert: Dr. Paul Newhart - 6/18/2008

Question
okay so i have been cracking my joints for a few years.  It started with my knuckles, then my back, and now my neck.  It feels really good, but i was afraid i was doing damage to my body, so i did some research and i found that i could be stretching the ligaments around the bones. making them loose, so I'm going to stop.  I was afraid of arthritis, but i found out that I'm not going to get that, or at least there's no evidence to it.  I'm only 16 so if i completely stop should any damage I've done. [i.e. loose muscles/ligaments]  can it fix itself, or will i need to see a chiropractor?

Answer
Many times things "crack" to relieve tension because there may be a misalignment in that area (especially true of the spine).  Any joint can pop, but I would see a good chiropractor to make sure that the popping isn't from a misalignment or that you have not done any damage.