cracking nuckles

[pathardie]

What happens when you crack your nuckles and is bad for you? My nuckles, toes, ankles, knees, back and even my thumbs click frequently when i move them about. Its not painful, I'm only 22 and take cod liver oil tablets. Why is it happening?

[StevieBoy]

It's the sound of synovial fluid imploding.

sorry thats not the greatest answer really is it!?

[nicola_red]

My joints clunk really badly and so do my bf's.  Mine are more of a 'thunk' and his more of a 'snap'.  I don't think it's harmful at all, but I don't actually know why it happens to some people and not others.

[Carlos26]

Apparently the rumours about arthritis are false, it is completely harmless, although it does tend to enlarge the joints slightly.

[Greedyfly]

Most of my joints click and crack and I am 21 but If I dont crack them they get very painfull

[FP]

The GP told my son not to keep clicking his joints (which are exceedingly clicky) and he will suffer for it in old age, i.e. athritis.  My GP is quite young and well informed, so I told think it is an old wives tale.

[Bangkok]

Cracking joints is an essential part of a traditional Thai massage performed by monks.  It's probably more to do with the weather, but arthertic Thais are a very rare sight.  Taxi drivers crack their joints at most red lights, including their necks, which gives me the heebie-jeebies

[morg_monster]

I've always wondered about this, my knuckles all crack.  since starting a course at uni and having access to lots of medical journals I did a search and there are basically only 3 articles about this!  And only one which was a large study.  It had its flaws, but the conclusion was that cracking your knuckles doesn't cause arthritis.  It said the only side effect was possibly slightly swollen joints immediately afterwards.  Even so, its probably not the best thing to do, and certainly common sense says if it hurts don't do it.  I'm trying to stop (one finger at a time - can't go cold turkey!) cos I think it must look appalling when people see me do it at work!

[Dusky]

Absolutely everything of mine clicks, pretty much on demand and some bits in several different ways.  It doesn't hurt as such but, like Greedyfly, it can get painful sometimes if I don't do it; certainly it invariably feels better afterwards - a sense of relief.

 

I once asked a physiotherapist if I should be able to do "this" with my back and she said it seemed I might have a particularly mobile spine but that it was unlikely to cause any problems.

 

I'm a fair bit older than those who've given their ages here and I've been clicking since at least primary school.

[ivehaduremum]

my ankles click everytime i walk and its especially loud when i walk up stairs with no shoes on.

[Farseer]

Well as the first poster said it is to do with the liquid in your joints moving from one area to another, i think it is when the fluid gets forced out of the joint and into another part of it.

I still don't get how that can create a click but from the explanation i have been told its rare that it could cause it. Maybe people that can click their joints have something linked with the ability to cause athritis (like people with red hair have fair skin, just like me :))

[Red Monkey]

I've been told it is bad for you and gives you athritis in your joints and that was by an osteopath...I've been strongly advised by the same guy not to ever crack my neck by tilting it to the sides...apparently it loosens some vertebrae and tightens others which is (understandably) not very good for your health.

Hasn't stopped me doin the knuckles tho...while we're on the subject, my knees usually need clunked into place when I stand up and straighten them but recently my right one hasn't been goin to the full lock properly and doesn't feel right until it does. Help!!!!