What is Digg?40 Comments
- dayquil, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16what we need is not healthier joints, but rather a safe drug that simulates that intense feeling of satisfaction that comes with joint cracking. my god, it's wonderful.
it's a hard thing to pin down - i don't do it to relieve pain, tension, or stiffness. I do it because it's just so satisfying, it's like why people love fast food. it doesn't matter if it's wrong, when it feels so right.
sometimes i'll do it to loosen up a little. but far more often than not, it's just a compulsion. "That's going to feel good. I should do that. *pop*" - Callisto, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12"Some studies suggest that you can snap your knuckles all you wish, and it won't cause osteoarthritis.
However, other studies indicate that around-the-clock cracking may damage the soft tissue around the joints, make your hand swell, and weaken your grip." - kitejumping, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7there was once a doctor who only cracked one hand his whole life, and he never developed arthritis in either of his hands...
- monkeyflavors, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I might stop if I had an unlimited supply of bubble wrap.
- fatsobob, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8What is sad, I was reading this while cracking my toes, wrists, neck, back, and hands in 3 places per finger.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I stopped cracking my knuckles a little over a year ago after I heard that cracking reduces grip strength. For awhile, I went through a huge withdrawl, and they felt like they always needed to be cracked. Now I don't even notice it...
- asurroca, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6Hehe, I was thinking the same thing; I was cracking my neck.
- Murdats, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6or maybe it was completly unrelated
my ankles crack when walking, my back cracks whenever it moves, my jaw cracks periodically and I constantly crack my fingers and neck, if cracking causes artheritis then im screwed, will have to get a job as a human statue - Alex2, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I can vouch that the cracking stiffness and joint pain gets worse as you get older.
- Ignignokt01, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Its ok to stretch and twist your neck by just using the muscles in your neck. However, don't try to force the neck farther than its supposed to go by using your hands to twist your neck/head, that can cause damage.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7Thanks you.. crack!
- DWatch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2A cautionary tale, by DWatch:
I have been cracking my knuckles for over 30 years. Started when I was 10 or so. It got to be a nervous habit in high school, I even got called into the councilors office because several teachers said it bothered them. By the time I got my first job, I was cracking my knuckles 10 times an hour, at least that's what my co-worker timed it as. It really bothered her (like fingernails on a chalkboard) so as an experiment one day, she kept track of it for a whole day, marking it down on paper, and showed it to me at the end of the day. I was shocked. For her benefit, I tried to back off, trying to control myself. I wasn't perfect, but I reduced the frequency to once or so an hour, then once or twice a day. I had times where I would crack them like crazy all day, and times when I would go a whole day without cracking them. I never completely stopped, though.
But, in the end, by the time I hit my late 30's, I could not crack them anymore. My knuckles will absolutely not crack, no matter which way I bend them, forward or back. I do have one cracking sound from my wrist, that developed at an certain desk job I had, it was mouse-intensive, and after a few hours of using a mouse now, I have to crack my wrist or it gets pain full. Anyway, my hands are not 'weak' nor are they in pain, but they are not as flexible as they used to be. Trying to flex them backwards to crack them results in pain, but grabbing things causes no pain. Normal everyday manipulation of tools has not changed, its just that I cannot bend my fingers back as far as I could.
I would still recommend that if you are a knuckle cracker, try to stop now, some people out there might hate you and can't stand to be around you for that one simple reason. You might not be as lucky as I, and you might have damage to your fingers. - drunkenoaf, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Punkrampant: There's no direct evidence that you cracking your hands and you having curling fingers are related. Like wanking and having hairy palms. Some wankers will have haory palms, some won't. Does that mean wanking causes hairy palms? Chinese people are virtually hairless on their hands. Do they not wank?
Ah, scientific reasoning and wanking. The two go (hairy) hand in (hairy) hand - PunkRampant, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3You nailed it - the beauty of knuckle-cracking.
- orvl, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3my neck used to crack; these days it just hurts when I twist it.
- Murdats, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2as a checkout chick I, without realising it, crack my knuckles frequently between customers, if it happens to be an old lady (or even a not quite so old lady, doesnt seem to bother men though) they will go "ugh" or "can you not do that please" and I usually look at them blankly saying "not do what?" not actully realising ive just cracked my knuckles.
however for the ones that say "doing that will give you artheritis" ill just wave this in their face, aswell as a list of possible treatments and cures that are out or being worked on - TheCheeks, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3good now i can shove this article into peoples faces that think im gunna die because of cracking. i do it, not a lot tho.
- davidlow, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Don't do crack!
- TheSolomon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2The cracking sound itself is indeed a stress reliever. It's similar to how potato chips and other crunchy foods are associated with stress eating; while under stress, that *crunch* sound every time you eat a chip is very satisfying.
- BogginHarry, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Finger, toe, neck and back-cracker here. LIke someone mentioned above, if I try to stop cracking my fingers, they always feel like they're stiffening up and they always need to be cracked. Though now that I know that feeling should pass, I might see how long I can go without cracking anything.
- cazabam, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Just about every joint in my body cracks (I seriously freaked out a friend when the joint between my sternum and rib made a *crack* sound when I stretched...), although my fingers, toes, neck, back and jaw are worst. I did spend some time just trying to avoid cracking anything, but I found that if I didn't do it myself, then I could (for instance) turn to look and my neck would crack, or grip a hand rail and my wrist would go ... seems I literally just can't help it.
- Massif, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I've always cracked my knuckles backwards. Now I can bend my fingers back to touch the back of my hand. It's fun to gross people out with.
- StephnDolenc, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1i've been wondering about this for years.
- cody5002005, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I crack my fingers, neck, back, ankels, toes and like ne thing else u can crack but its wierd if i move my toes or walk my toes crack. Can someone tell y they do this i think it is very annoying to be walking and my toes crack. ty
- dubbin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Much better more detailed article here:
http://www.studentbmj.com/back_issues/1201/life/477.html - Ignignokt01, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1OK guys, we get it. lol
- smboo81, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0I think I may be the only person who finds it impossible to crack my knuckles. I used to try my best to do it when all my friends did, but mine just dont make that sound.
- ActivitY, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2"The concerto comes from the pop of gas bubbles escaping the joints, snapping tendons and ligaments, and rickety arthritic joints."
still doesent sound too good to me. - enoughrope, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Now explain to us why it's so addictive to crack your knuckles.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -8/+6I bet Christopher Reeve would've taken your neck...
- chaskell, on 10/12/2007, -7/+5My neck doesn't crack.
I want a new neck. - matija, on 10/12/2007, -9/+7they still dont say if its ok to keep cracking them :(
- perseon, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Me too including knees, elbows, ankles and shoulders.
- TheBenchWarmer, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4The article says that cracking sometimes is okay, but cracking too much is too much, if you know what I mean.
- daeyeth, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2Oh. Nevermind, someone beat me to it.
- PunkRampant, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2I don't think it's okay to crack them. Personal experience - For several years when I was kid, I cracked my knuckles every chance I got (it always felt strangely refreshing).
Now, I'm only 16 by now, but already my fingers are weakening. They curl by themselves when I relax them, and sometimes I can barely even make a tight fist. Is this the beginning of arthritis? I don't know, but I'm pretty sure it was because of my constant cracking a few years ago. - republicoftexas, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3Okay to crack 'em?
Scientists have conducted few studies on whether cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis or otherwise harm your hands.
Some studies suggest that you can snap your knuckles all you wish, and it won't cause osteoarthritis.
However, other studies indicate that around-the-clock cracking may damage the soft tissue around the joints, make your hand swell, and weaken your grip.
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