Training & Nutrition - Popping sternum

I'm curious what causes your sternum to pop. Or if it's even the sternum popping. It seems like any time I do a superman stretch and puff my chest the top of my sternum pops or clicks. It's just started happening and i'm not worried about it. Just kindof curious about wtf is going on with my body :o

excellent question. i've wondered this myself. i don't have an answer for you - but i can say it started for me about 5 years ago. i "pop" it on average once a day and haven't had any problems. it feels kind of good in a way. hopefully someone has some input on this, because i'm very curious myself.

I've been reading through info on google but for once it's all useless. The only things i've really seen repeated are that a lot of people started having the problem after starting to do dip exercises. And a lot of medical sites attribute it to arhtritis, which I don't have. Oh well.

I actually had one of my upper ribs pop out of place onto the sternum. The doctor said it happens to a lot of people, and it'll probably happen again. It was while I was doing dips. My physical therapist told me it was because my chest muscles are stronger than my back, so I'm being pulled forward. I'm trying to strengthen my back right now.

Interesting, I wonder if that holds true in reverse (stronger back than chest ... that's definately the situation i'm in)

I'd think so. Lots of things can happen from muscle imbalances.

It might just be fascia release. Google myofascial for more info.

It could be inflamation of the cartilage connecting the ribs to your sternum, a condition called "Costochondritis". It usually goes away in a few months or a year. It's not usually serious, from what I've read, but it's always good to mention it to your doctor to have a look at it.

Here's some info:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/5058-1.asp

http://www.healthubs.com/costochondritis/

I've had this for about three years at differing levels of pain, but never more than an minor annoyance onece or twice a day. I never saw a doctor and it never went away. If I had seen a doctor early on, and if he was sharp, it might have led to an earlier diagnosis of an associated and more serious autoimmune disease I've been recently diagnosed as having. If I started taking medication for that three years ago, it would have saved my liver some of the damage it suffered over the last few years. :eek: The autoimmune disease probably explains why it hasn't gone away, though I'm still not sure I understand the connection.

In your case, chances are it's nothing at all serious. Maybe you fell or had a virus or did too many dips, but if it doesn't go away, let your doctor poke at it a couple times just to be sure. ;)

I have been doing some heavy bench press for years (and dips here and there) and mine pops everyday more than twice. If I sit in certain positions where my chess or my shoulders are folded into each other, I can usually stretch out with my arms and pop it. It's a 'must' because I can really feel it if I don't pop it. Sometimes though, it hurts after I do it. Not sure if I can get rid of this. It's gone away for awhile (not sure how or why) and come back. But my friend started getting it when he worked out with heavy bench press.
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Every now and then someone in my family pops a rib out of place and just notices the discomfort, and until lately didn't know the cause. Our chiropractor pointed it out and pops 'em back into place. Mine go back by themselves, but the out-of-shape family members have more trouble.

I'm curious what causes your sternum to pop. Or if it's even the sternum popping. It seems like any time I do a superman stretch and puff my chest the top of my sternum pops or clicks. It's just started happening and i'm not worried about it. Just kindof curious about wtf is going on with my body :o

Mine has popped for years...ever since I took one in the chest in Nam. J/K, got drilled in the chest with a serve playing doubles (evil wench did on purpose I'm sure.) But there has never been any pain or other symptoms. Be interested to know what is really popping.

Help me out here dogg, I've had this for a long time. It started when I was 20 and it was chest pain, one big pop and relief for about 5 years. Then about every year after it came until last year after a good work out, it locked. I went to chiro's and m.d.'s and finally with a good stretch it popped and I almost cried from the relief. Ever since I pop it about 4-12x daily and it's affecting my thoracic spine and riding has become unbearable. What was autoimmune you had. samiamaham@yahoo.com if you would be so kind.

My sternum pops once in a while, usually after a day or two of hard work/exorsize, I just get a mild generaly tight feeling and then a few minutes or hours later I will inhale deeply streatch my arms out and puff up my chest, then POW!, it has made people across the room jump. I feel great after, no more tightness or any thing.

Maybe it's built up CO2 being released, I've heared that is what makes other joints crack and pop. I find it odd though as it isn't really what one would consider to be a mobile joint.

excellent question. i've wondered this myself. i don't have an answer for you - but i can say it started for me about 5 years ago. i "pop" it on average once a day and haven't had any problems. it feels kind of good in a way. hopefully someone has some input on this, because i'm very curious myself.
Wow this is great I thought I was some kind of freak because my sternum popped when I did a big stretch. Glad to know I am not the only one. We should start some kind of support group. :)