Snap, crackle, pop! That’s what my mom accuses her body of doing when she exercises. If you’re like her, you might worry about those sounds/feelings and what they mean.
Read on friend.
If you hear/feel a crack that is similar to cracking your knuckles, that’s good! That’s what I call free chiropractic care! Your body is adjusting gas/pressure/fluids in your joints as it was DESIGNED to do! Your body is lubricating the joints so you can keep doing those push-ups or squats or what have you!
There are certain moves I do that ALWAYS produce free chiropractic care and I LOVE it. ☺️ (downward dog, laying spinal twist for example) In fact working out & yoga have taken me from pain/disability faster and with lasting results WAY more than the chiropractor or physical therapist ever did. (😶) But I digress…
Now if you hear that pop sound repetitively, each time, you are facing probably one or two problems. On one hand, that sound might indicate your alignment/form is improper and your body is compensating with other muscles to force the movement. For example, in a push up position your hands should be wider than your shoulders facing forward, arms should come straight out and bend at a 90 degree angle. Many times I get a pop and I adjust my stance slightly wider and it goes away.
You could also be getting pops from not being warmed/stretched enough. Try stretching/moving around the area of concern more before moving on to another rep.
If your pop is accompanied by pain, that’s an entirely different issue and you need to check with a doctor. The cracks and pops I am talking about should bring relief, feel good or just be innocently noisy without pain.
Let’s talk hips
Many of my friends have mentioned hip clicking when working out. This is a good thing! Again, it shouldn’t be PAINFUL but it can be weird.
My hips are my problem area. When I started working out heavily, so many of the ab exercises I did would make my hips feel almost like they were grinding!! It was the result of a weak core (abs, lower back, hips & glutes) and shortened hip flexors. The more I worked & stretched the better it got. That’s a good thing!! If you have tight hips try stretching them out with a few minutes of pigeon/runners lunge/knee circles each day.
As you strengthen your hip flexors and surrounding muscles, you should find that grinding slowly goes away.
Questions?
