how bad is cracking your knuckles?

Been doing it all my life, and I don't plan on stopping now. I also crack my back, neck, and other joints as well.

It's one of those things that medical people constantly go back and forth on. One minute they say it's harmless, then they say it will give you arthritis. I think we are currently in a "harmless" stage.

Actually when you pop your knuckles, all you are doing is popping bubbles of mercury etc. from your joints. It can be compared to that "diving pressure" scuba divers are well aware of.

Anyway, if anyone tells you different; just stare at them and say. "I pity the ignorant fool". Hehe, gets them every time.

EDIT:

Quote:

I found this

Why on earth is the "US Department of Enery" releasing an article on knuckle cracking??

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Original post by Endar I've always been told by everyone under the earth that if you crack your knuckles you'll definately get arthritis later on.

who.. or what the hell is talking to you from under the earth?

Somewhere I read that it is only bad for you if it hurts, and is otherwise completely harmless. I do it all the time, as well as cracking my neck and somehow popping my sternum. Don't ask. I don't know how, I just do.

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Original post by vrok137 Actually when you pop your knuckles, all you are doing is popping bubbles of mercury etc.

I hope you meant bubbles of air, because if you have that much mercury in your joints, you're going to have bigger problems that arthritis [wink] Really though, all it is is a release of air bubbles trapped in the joint.

Anyway, everything I've heard about the subject says its entirely harmless, with the only drawback of possibly decreasing your gripping strength slightly over a long period of time. It has never been associated with arthritis. So, unless you're driving your friends and family nuts, crack away.

I'm sure we've had threads on this before [grin]

You should ask a doctor.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=121033

Just ask google. ;)

I'll add my 2 cents.

I play the guitar a lot, and a few years ago I noticed that if I cracked my knuckles by balling up my fist and pressing down then my fingers would be very sore at the middle knuckle after playing for 3-4 hours. If I crack them by pulling them straight out from my hand I don't have this problem. Whether or not this is significant, I don't know.


Jojo

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Original post by DigitalChaos Quote: Original post by Endar I've always been told by everyone under the earth that if you crack your knuckles you'll definately get arthritis later on. who.. or what the hell is talking to you from under the earth?

Australians.

CM

OMG, I know all these girls always tell me not to crack my knuckles but I guess it's a pyschological problem for me cause I don't even think about it when I do it, and once I do it, I regret it :( It's so painful :(

I'm gonna have to do something where if I do it, something inflicts pain on me and I stop.

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"Quitting smoking is the easiest thing in the world! I've done it thousands of times!"

If you ever want to break the habit try this: Next time your in a swimming pool, go under the water and crack your knuckles. It makes such a horrible cracking sound, you'll probably never want to do it again.