Cracking Knuckles

[Navin]

What actually happens when a person cracks his knuckles. What causes that clicking sound?

[Winter]

That noise is the sound of bubbles bursting in the fluid (synovial fluid) surrounding the joint.

When you bend your fingers to pop your knuckles, the bones of the joint pull apart and the tissue capsule around the joint stretches. The pressure of the synovial fluid decreases and the gases dissolved in the fluid form bubbles. This process is called cavitation. When you stretch hard enough, the pressure decreases enough for the bubbles to pop.

By the way, you shouldn't pop your knuckles. It damages the tissue of the capsule around the joint.

[MrMistery]

It is also quite painfull if you ask me

[opuntia]

By the way, you shouldn't pop your knuckles. It damages the tissue of the capsule around the joint.

what would happen to your fingers if the tissue of the capsule around the joint is damaged?[out of curiosity]

[MrMistery]

They would swell and start to hurt is my guess, because they will be altering the nervous terminations. Plus, you can get a lot of compliactions from something like this, like arteroslerosys.

[Navin]

definitely wont do that again

[biostudent84]

what would happen to your fingers if the tissue of the capsule around the joint is damaged?[out of curiosity]

Arthritis

[b_d_41501]

As for the harms associated with this habit, according to Anatomy and Physiology Instructors' Cooperative, only one in-depth study regarding the possible detriments of knuckle popping has been published. This study, done by Raymond Brodeur and published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, examined 300 knuckle crackers for evidence of joint damage. The results revealed no apparent connection between joint cracking and arthritis; however, habitual knuckle poppers did show signs of other types of damage, including soft tissue damage to the joint capsule and a decrease in grip strength. This damage is most likely a result of the rapid, repeated stretching of the ligaments surrounding the joint. A professional baseball pitcher experiences similar, although obviously heightened, effects in the various joints of his pitching arm. But assuming you haven't signed a multimillion dollar contract to constantly pop your knuckles, it hardly seems worth the possible risk to your joints.

On the positive side, there is evidence of increased mobility in joints right after popping. When joints are manipulated, the Golgi tendon organs (a set of nerve endings involved in humans' motion sense) are stimulated and the muscles surrounding the joint are relaxed. This is part of the reason why people can feel "loose" and invigorated after leaving the chiropractor's office, where cavitation is induced as part of the treatment. Backs, knees, elbows and all other movable joints are subject to the same kind manipulation as knuckles are.

[Winter]

did you happen to get this info from a site called 'How stuff works?'

funny, that's where I got my info too

[b_d_41501]

Yeah, just copied and pasted. lol

[bonio]

well as im female AND AWKWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i will have to say that my joints in my fingers are painfull up til the point where i crack them???

explain that!!!???????????? i just feel if i dont crack them , the pain gets worse.

but hey..........that was usefull info nehoo!!!!!



BONIO XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[edser]

Waht about people who have joint hypermobility? Also what about a buildup in the bubles, can that be harmfull? i fell pain sometimes when I do not stretch.