NewStats: 3,264,215 , 8,182,982 topics. Date: Tuesday, 10 June 2025 at 08:03 AM 6c4t55

n4mk

Knuckle Cracking: Annoying And Harmful, Or Just Annoying? - Health - Nairaland 1p11l

Knuckle Cracking: Annoying And Harmful, Or Just Annoying? (15376 Views)

(4)

(1) Go Down)

IbnIbrahim: 8:59pm On May 16, 2018
Knuckle cracking is a common behavior enjoyed by many. It can become a habit or a way to deal with nervous energy; some describe it as a way to “release tension.” For some, it’s simply an annoying thing that other people do.

If you’ve ever wondered why stretching the fingers in certain ways causes that familiar noise or whether knuckle cracking is harmful in some way, read on. Despite how common it is, there has been considerable debate regarding where the noise comes from. Fortunately — at least for those of us who are curious about it — knuckle cracking has been the subject of a fair amount of research. :shock:

Here’s some of what we know about knuckle cracking:

1. The “cracking” of knuckle cracking seems to be produced by increasing the space between finger ts. This causes gas bubbles in the t fluid to collapse or burst. It’s a bit like blowing up a balloon and then stretching the walls of the balloon outward until it pops.

2. The reason you can’t crack the same knuckle or t twice right away is that it takes some time for the gas bubbles to accumulate again in the t.

3. Cracking the knuckles is probably harmless. Although there have been occasional reports of dislocations or tendon injuries from overly vigorous knuckle cracking, such problems seem very much to be the exception and not the rule.
How do we know that knuckle cracking is harmless?

One of the most convincing bits of evidence suggesting that knuckle cracking is harmless comes from a California physician who reported on an experiment he conducted on himself. Over his lifetime, he regularly cracked the knuckles of only one hand. He checked x-rays on himself after decades of this behavior and found no difference in arthritis between his hands. A larger study came to a similar conclusion.

There are rare medical reports of problems associated with this behavior that may relate to how much force is applied and one’s particular technique. For example, t dislocations and tendon injuries have been described after attempts to crack knuckles. One study published in 1990 found that among 74 people who regularly cracked their knuckles, their average grip strength was lower and there were more instances of hand swelling than among 226 people who did not crack their knuckles. However, the incidence of arthritis was the same in both groups.

And a new study created a mathematical model of a knuckle that helped confirm that the noise comes from collapsing gas bubbles.

What about other sounds coming from the ts?

The origin of most t noises, such as popping sounds or cracking of the knees when squatting, is uncertain. They may come from the kneecap rubbing on the bones below, or a tendon sliding across an irregular surface. However, in the absence of pain, swelling, or other t symptoms, these sounds are probably nothing to be concerned about, and there is no reliable way to silence them.

The bottom line on knuckle cracking

If you want to crack your knuckles, it’s unlikely to cause you harm. But if you want someone else to stop cracking their knuckles, you’ll need a better reason than telling them they’re ruining their ts.

Hotproforum

11 Likes 2 Shares

yungrylex00(m): 4:03am On May 17, 2018
Nice
dominique(f): 6:14am On May 17, 2018
Highly addictive for me. It can't possibly be harmful else my ts would have been completely gone by now

34 Likes

CriticMaestro: 6:20am On May 17, 2018
Something Wey we dey use to show we are the baddest for secondary school...

19 Likes

bigstan11787(m): 6:21am On May 17, 2018
They want to tell us another story again ooo

4 Likes 1 Share

MANNABBQGRILLS: 6:21am On May 17, 2018
Wow.
GUILTY!!
MANNABBQGRILLS: 6:21am On May 17, 2018
Can this be stopped pleaseeeeeee

Modify: Okay, it's not harmful.
Nothing do me then....
muhammed50(m): 6:22am On May 17, 2018
What about Neck cracking?? grin

8 Likes

biacan(f): 6:23am On May 17, 2018
I'm guilty wink
CastedAyo: 6:23am On May 17, 2018
dominique:
Highly addictive for me. It can't possibly be harmful else my ts would have been completely gone by now

grin
King4Roller: 6:23am On May 17, 2018
dominique:
Highly addictive for me. It can't possibly be harmful else my ts would have been completely gone by now
Can i put a ring on it then?
sugarwiz(f): 6:23am On May 17, 2018
The sound can be so annoying....
King4Roller: 6:24am On May 17, 2018
muhammed50:
What about Neck cracking?? grin
Lol. Na suicide you 1 commit abi
Gaddafithe2nd(m): 6:24am On May 17, 2018
Without doing it intentionally, my knuckles crack.
Anijay1212(m): 6:26am On May 17, 2018
angry
Don't like it one bit.
It makes ones fingers weak.

2 Likes

Tallesty1(m): 6:28am On May 17, 2018
That number 2 is not true. I can crack the ring finger of my left hand as many times as I like

3 Likes 1 Share

myproperty(m): 6:30am On May 17, 2018
muhammed50:
What about Neck cracking?? grin
Learning how to commit suicide?

Abeg make your neck no crack oo!

2 Likes

Alejoc(m): 6:31am On May 17, 2018
angry
Oceannaagent: 6:32am On May 17, 2018
Who else read the whole report? cos I did, interesting.

1 Like

Alejoc(m): 6:32am On May 17, 2018
angry


I do it after Tolu showed me my hand is not going to break!

1 Like

kullozone(m): 6:32am On May 17, 2018
I face certain death if I don't crack my neck and knucklessmiley

5 Likes

mikejj(m): 6:34am On May 17, 2018
grin my own is stomach knuckle oo..everyday around 1pm my belle will be doing kwas kwas budu budu..

15 Likes

Sarang(f): 6:35am On May 17, 2018
Some people find it very annoying but if you are doing it around me, I will just you grin

3 Likes

Jh0wsef(m): 6:44am On May 17, 2018
mikejj:
grin my own is stomach knuckle oo..everyday around 1pm my belle will be doing kwas kwas budu budu..


LOL ode! cheesy

2 Likes

Flexy2vybes(m): 6:49am On May 17, 2018
I hear, me wer dy crack almst al d t 4 mabody evn ma spine. i crack ma left foot non stop evn inside shoe.

1 Like

mikejj(m): 6:51am On May 17, 2018
Jh0wsef:


LOL ode! cheesy
baba e dey do you too.
validstar1: 6:52am On May 17, 2018
Strange Reports Everyday. As for me, i love cracking my ts cos it eases t pain like when typing 4 long

1 Like

jericco1(m): 6:55am On May 17, 2018
Healthnow:
We Have The Drug That Cures Stomach Ulcer. We Give Your Money Back If It Did Not Work. 08133412233
.
what if the person dies?

back to topic, I don't think it's harmful, cause I'm very guilty of that shit
gracein: 6:59am On May 17, 2018
It's not harmful. It's just annoying.
It's so annoying that I can crack almost all ts in my body including my hip t and vertebrae column. And the worst part is that it is addictive. I growing up, I hated it because the sound was irritating but now, I see it as normal.

(1) Reply)

A Man Whose Wife Is Pregnant Should Have Nothing Less Than N5M In His

(Go Up)

Sections: How To . 22
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or s on Nairaland.