Was Mom right? [Archive]

AdamS.

12-15-2006, 06:39 AM

I started to wonder about something the other day. I've recently gained the habit of cracking my knuckles. That's weird because I never used to, but I am now for some reason unknown to me.

Anyway, I was wondering if the mothers' warning against cracking your knuckles was right or not. Is that something that could cause problems down the line? If so, what about the chiropractic cracking? I know the purpose is different, but I would imagine the auditory effect has much the same cause.

Kathryn Woodall

12-15-2006, 08:33 AM

Adam,
The sound that is sometimes made with a chiropractic adjustment is typically nothing more than gas being released from the joint capsule. There are other causes when there is "cracking" that occurs with non-therapeutic creation of that sound and I won't go into them because there are a few well written article on it within the forum if you search for them.

To answer your question, it is possible to create damage in the long term by chronically forcing your joints to a position just to get the sound. At any given time when you are doing it you may or may not be harming them based on sheer luck, but for the times when you do cause micro-damage, if it is done enough it can add up. I'm not talking about just moving your hands and fingers and them producing the noise on their own, but am referring to physically grabbing a finger with the other hand and forcing it to create a sound.

If you are experiencing a larger desire to "crack" your knuckles, might I suggest that you consider the possibility that there is some activity in your life creating tension in your hands/wrists/arms which would be better released by more frequent IF (and improving technique if it is due to training)? If that does not solve the issue, then you might also consider seeing a health care practitioner.

rutherford

12-15-2006, 10:10 AM

http://www.rmaxinternational.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2399

AdamS.

12-17-2006, 08:05 AM

Thanks for the help. The only thing I've been doing differently is swinging the Clubbell more. So I would imagine it's from that. Maybe it's bearing that new load that is making my knuckles get that "bubble" feeling more often. I'll have to start doing wrist and finger circles during my daily spinal wake-up series. Thanks!