Knuckle Cracking

[Juneau]

I heard somewhere that popping them releases gas build-up between the joints or something like that. Anyway, the message they had was that it helped them.

I have something wronge with my hands where they pop every time I close them tightly. I mean the kind of pop you can hear all the way across the room with other noises going on. I asked a doctor about it once and he said I was a little double-jointed in all the joints in both my hands and wrists. I'm not quite sure how you can be "a little" double jointed, I thought it was all or none. But then he is a doctor.

There is actually no such thing as double jointed. You either have long tendons, or short ones, or somewhere in between. Its commonly refered too as double jointed, but its a misnomer. So by a "little" he means you have slightly longer tendons allowing your joints to bend back the opposite way more than they should. My friend with very short tendons (his thumb only bends one way and stops at the vertical position) has the same issue. He can pop all his knuckles by clinching his hands into fists, and can do it over and over.

And the chemical released, id think would be endorfins (hormones). Could be seratonin as well, I dunno.

As for popping knuckles leading to arthritus, thats been answered. The tissue damage that was mentioned is similar to someone who's dislocated a joint. It stretches those tendons and they lose some elasticity and can be torn even. Repeated movement of the ball in the socket to release the built up air, causes stress on the joints and connecting tissues. So it can be harmfull, but not usually dibilitating like arthritus can be.

 

[lamborghini98]

THC?

Dont even joke. I'd totaly cut of my fingers if I knew there was THC inside.

 

[lamborghini98]

There is actually no such thing as double jointed. You either have long tendons, or short ones, or somewhere in between. Its commonly refered too as double jointed, but its a misnomer. So by a "little" he means you have slightly longer tendons allowing your joints to bend back the opposite way more than they should. My friend with very short tendons (his thumb only bends one way and stops at the vertical position) has the same issue. He can pop all his knuckles by clinching his hands into fists, and can do it over and over.

And the chemical released, id think would be endorfins (hormones). Could be seratonin as well, I dunno.

As for popping knuckles leading to arthritus, thats been answered. The tissue damage that was mentioned is similar to someone who's dislocated a joint. It stretches those tendons and they lose some elasticity and can be torn even. Repeated movement of the ball in the socket to release the built up air, causes stress on the joints and connecting tissues. So it can be harmfull, but not usually dibilitating like arthritus can be.

you think if my family has a history of arthritis, then this would actually be a concern of mine?

 

[Josh Ryan]

I laughed at this.

I did too.

 

[spidersbass]

I did too.

it was great

 

[jokerjkny]

(...)
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Note: there has apparently been a study that concluded that found habitual knuckle popers are more likely to have certain kinds of soft tissue damage (probably do to repeated movement). However there is no link between it and arthritis.

also, according to the HSW site, you can do this to your knees and elbows?

anyone here able to do that regularly?

 

[SnoMan]

also, according to the HSW site, you can do this to your knees and elbows?

anyone here able to do that regularly?

Yeah...

Usually one of my knees will pop on it's own...then I feel obligated to pop the other. Kind of a wierd twisting motion.


Elbows, basically by hyperextending them slightly...sometimes happens if I stretch. My elbows are the more painful to pop.

 

[Juneau]

Yeah...

Usually one of my knees will pop on it's own...then I feel obligated to pop the other. Kind of a wierd twisting motion.


Elbows, basically by hyperextending them slightly...sometimes happens if I stretch. My elbows are the more painful to pop.

Same, I also pop my shoulders, and my neck often.

 

[Juneau]

you think if my family has a history of arthritis, then this would actually be a concern of mine?

Well arthritus is herditary I believe. I wouldnt think knuckle cracking would do much one way or the other to speed up the process or slow it down. I guess I wouldnt take any risks though hehe.

 

[SnoMan]

If we're listing, I also do neck...just kinda forgot about that.


Also my toes. And boy do other people hate it when I pop theirs... lol


which NFL QB broke his toes either last season or seasn before by a failed attempt to pop them?

 

[ninefingerbass]

actually when you "pop" your knuckles, you are releasing synovial fluid from its sac. synovial fluid is in all of your joints where bone and bone meet and it allows the smooth movement of the joints, without it you would be hearing bone rubbing against bone and i assume it wouldnt feel good. everytime you "crack your knuckles" you are releasing more fluid into your joints and overtime it can build up. it has no short term affects other than getting addicted to do it again and again and again. long term affects include rigid bone structure and stiffness and enlarged joints.

Oh whoever said it makes you happy, im sorry but you are wrong. dopamine and seratonin and endorphins and all your little happy, mood altering liquids and chemicals are processed in your brain. think about it when you eat X, it releases more dopamine and seratonin hence making your state of mind happier giving you an intense sensation throughout your whole body.
does cracking your knuckles give you that intense sensation? i think not.

 

[Phil Mastro]

If we're listing, I also do neck...just kinda forgot about that.

I do neck, back, hips, knees, ankles, wrists, fingers, sometimes jaw, and most freakily, rib cage/sternum

No joke, sometimes when I stretch, there's a huge cracking sound that comes from my sternum.

 

[dlloyd]

actually when you "pop" your knuckles, you are releasing synovial fluid from its sac. synovial fluid is in all of your joints where bone and bone meet and it allows the smooth movement of the joints, without it you would be hearing bone rubbing against bone and i assume it wouldnt feel good. everytime you "crack your knuckles" you are releasing more fluid into your joints and overtime it can build up. it has no short term affects other than getting addicted to do it again and again and again. long term affects include rigid bone structure and stiffness and enlarged joints.

Nope.

The synovial fluid stays where it is. The reduction in pressure when you pull on your finger causes cavitation within the synovial fluid, forming a bubble which instantaneously implodes, resulting in the noise you hear.

While there is no evidence that it causes rheumatoid arthritis, there is a possibility that it may contribute to osteo arthritis due to wearing of the joint, although no study has been conducted to adequately test this. Research has shown that habitual knuckle crackers do suffer some degree impaired hand movement. I wouldn't risk it if hand dexterity is important to you.

Oh whoever said it makes you happy, im sorry but you are wrong. dopamine and seratonin and endorphins and all your little happy, mood altering liquids and chemicals are processed in your brain. think about it when you eat X, it releases more dopamine and seratonin hence making your state of mind happier giving you an intense sensation throughout your whole body.
does cracking your knuckles give you that intense sensation? i think not.

Any pain-inducing action will result in the release of endorphins, giving a mild rush. There's a difference between releasing a small amount of endorphins and blasting your brain with enormous amounts of seratonin. The two aren't comparable.

 

[srxplayer]

I laughed at this.

Me too.