Does clicking your knucles rally cause arthritus?

The Guid · Post by **The Guid** » 2006-03-21 06:57am

I feel the title says it all really:

Does clicking one's knucles (or anything for that matter - "general clickage" for wont of a better term) lead to a greater likelihood of arthritus in later life?

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-03-21 07:38am

No. It puts additional stress on the joint, which may affect your grip, but it doesn't cause arthritis.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2006-03-21 08:27am

Bounty wrote:No. It puts additional stress on the joint, which may affect your grip, but it doesn't cause arthritis.

Clarify, please?
Does the actual act of clicking cause stress, or does the state of having been clicked cause stress to be put on the joint?

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2006-03-21 12:13pm

This is one of the most annoying myths, IMO. All you're doing is popping air bubbles, really.

Ryushikaze · Post by **Ryushikaze** » 2006-03-21 02:05pm

It is rather irritatingly prevalent. I have to crack a my knuckles (and occasionally my neck) every so often while at home, and every time my mother says that, and every time I tell her "that's Bull and You know it".

DesertFly · Post by **DesertFly** » 2006-03-21 02:37pm

I recall reading somewhere (I think it was Readers' Digest, but I'm not certain,) that cracking your knuckles is not only not bad, it can actually improve flexibility. At least, that's what I recall. It's been awhile since I read that.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-03-21 02:45pm

Molyneux wrote:
Bounty wrote:No. It puts additional stress on the joint, which may affect your grip, but it doesn't cause arthritis.
Clarify, please?
Does the actual act of clicking cause stress, or does the state of having been clicked cause stress to be put on the joint?

IIRC the biggest problem with cracking is that people twist their fingers in awkward positions to do it. The cracking itself isn't the problem, it's overstretching them.

Ryushikaze · Post by **Ryushikaze** » 2006-03-21 02:49pm

Yeah. Doing the 'traditional' fingerlinked point away push is entirely unnecessary. You can get the exact amount of effect by applying pressure to the joint with either thumb (same for lower, other for higher), and that's often more than you need anyways.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2006-03-21 03:18pm

Oddly enough, I usually flatten my hands against the side of my head. No idea how that got started.

Sidious · Post by **Sidious** » 2006-03-21 03:58pm

I’ve been popping my knuckles since I was 12. I don’t even realize I’m doing it most of the time. There’s also the wives tale that it will make your knuckles grotesquely huge somehow.

wolveraptor · Post by **wolveraptor** » 2006-03-21 07:09pm

Evidence of the above claims. Jesus, isn't anyone skeptical of what an anonymous poster says? Anyways, if you crack your knuckles, it may cause a weak grip or swollen hands, or maybe it's just that proclivities to such maladies cause your knuckles to crack when flexed. I've never managed to do it myself, though I used to frequently crack my neck and back.

Zero · Post by **Zero** » 2006-03-21 07:20pm

I can crack my knuckles just by gripping something now. When I get pissed off and make a fist, I can hear my hand closing.

LongVin · Post by **LongVin** » 2006-03-21 08:10pm

According to my Chriopractor cracking the neck(by snapping or twisting it quickly in one direction) won't cause arthritis but can screw up the neck if you do it alot or do it too hard or often.

defanatic · Post by **defanatic** » 2006-03-21 08:34pm

Zero132132 wrote:I can crack my knuckles just by gripping something now. When I get pissed off and make a fist, I can hear my hand closing.

Hey! That's cool. During any awkward, silent, moments, flex your fingers.

brianeyci · Post by **brianeyci** » 2006-03-21 08:35pm

I have heard physiotherapists say that cracking your neck causes arthritis. I trust physiotherapists more than chiropractors.

Physiotherapists hate Chiropractors, the former see the latter as quacks that cause strokes with their head manipulations.

Brian

wolveraptor · Post by **wolveraptor** » 2006-03-21 09:38pm

I trust provided sources more than anonymous ones, no offense.