As everyone does, I often stretch my shoulders and neck back and head a cracking sound...but often I feel tight in the sternum area and feel like i need to crack it. I do, it gives a little sound and it gives me the relief I was after.

 

Does anyone else feel the need to do this sometimes? And what exactly is happening?

 

I hope that makes sense!

amazing that you posted that! I was going to ask the same thing a few weeks ago but lacked the time (and then forgot) YES, I get exactly the same here myself and have done for a decade or 2, even when I used to weight train.

I`ve no idea what it is either, it doesn`t hurt but it`s quite loud and is easily heard by others, I can`t confess to it giving me any sort of "releif" though, other than the actualy stretch itself.

Isn't there a bone or something right below the sternum that if broken off, could stick into your liver and cause a painful death?

considering the liver it to the far right of the body and some distance from the sternum, it would seem unlikely. it wouild have to be a rib break and somewhere in the middle of it to do that.

Also, there is no chest bone below the sternum. Behold: http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/~bmunkasy/3131/UE%20Skeleton%20Web.jpg

Also, there is no chest bone below the sternum. Behold: [url']http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/~bmunkasy/3131/UE%20Skeleton%20Web.jpg[/url]

 

Yes there is - but it's connected to the sternum by cartilage. It's called the "xiphoid process".

 

Look here:

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/humananatomy/skeletal/sternum/xiphoid.html

 

See the dark areas? That's the cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum - it's flexible so your rib cage will expand when you breathe.

 

NPK - how do you "crack" your sternum? Injuring the xiphoid process can cause it to get a callus. I separated mine from the rest of my sternum by hanging over the edge of a boat hatch. I was working on the engine with both hands and all my weight was resting on my ribs. There isn't any way to set it, so it healed at an angle - now I have 3 protrusions on my chest rather than two.

Yes there is - but it's connected to the sternum by cartilage. It's called the "xiphoid process".

 

Look here:

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/humananatomy/skeletal/sternum/xiphoid.html

 

See the dark areas? That's the cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum - it's flexible so your rib cage will expand when you breathe.

 

NPK - how do you "crack" your sternum? Injuring the xiphoid process can cause it to get a callus. I separated mine from the rest of my sternum by hanging over the edge of a boat hatch. I was working on the engine with both hands and all my weight was resting on my ribs. There isn't any way to set it' date=' so it healed at an angle - now I have 3 protrusions on my chest rather than two.[/quote']

I lean back and push my chest forward if I feel the need to 'crack'. Actually, it isn't really a sharp cracking sound like the sound necks and shoulders make, but it is very audible dulled sound and my girlfriend cringes when she hears it!

yup same here, and it`s not one single crack, but a series of small ones, I can even get it sometimes tilting my head back to gargle with mouthwash.