Cracking knuckles?

Question

I have heard read many opinions on cracking knuckles. Some people say it is bad, while some people say it is beneficial/not harmful.

10 points to whoever can provide an insightful opinion and also explain what is happening that makes the popping noise?
Also what about back cracking?

thanks

Answer 1

Scientists have conducted few studies on whether cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis or otherwise harm your hands. Some studies suggest that you can snap your knuckles all you wish, and it won't cause osteoarthritis.
However, other studies indicate that around-the-clock cracking may damage the soft tissue around the joints, make your hand swell, and weaken your grip.

What's the noise? A protective fluid cushions most of the joints in our bodies. Inside a capsule that safeguards bones connected at a joint, synovial fluid keeps the cartilage, tissues, and muscles lubricated and well nourished. Nutrients float inside the fluid, along with gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. As you bend your fingers, the joint capsule stretches. To make more room for the stretch, gases release out of the fluid. The pop of your knuckles is the sound of gas as it bubbles out of the fluid, scientists say. Before your knuckle can crack again, the fluid must reabsorb the gas.

Answer 2

the force applied separates the articular surfaces of a fully encapsulated synovial joint, which in turn creates a reduction in pressure within the joint cavity. In this low pressure environment, some of the gases that are dissolved in the synovial fluid (which are naturally found in all bodily fluids) leave solution creating a bubble or cavity, which rapidly collapses upon itself, resulting in a "clicking" sound. The contents of this gas bubble are thought to be mainly carbon dioxide.
The effects of this process will remain for a period of time known as the "refractory period", which can range from a few minutes to some hours while it is slowly reabsorbed back into the synovial fluid. There is some evidence that ligament laxity may be associated with an increased tendency to cavitate. This is particularly bad when you don't pop the knuckles straight back and instead pop them at an angle to either side.

Answer 3

I have huge knuckles now from cracking my knuckles constantly as a kid. I don't know what it's called and not sure it is as far as it can get, but it is best to just stop all together.

Answer 4

I have been popping my fingers for as long as I can remember..at least 10 times per day. I can crack each finger at 2 seperate joints and my thumbs, for a total of 22 pops on both hands..... my knuckles are not disformed, or irregular, so i seriously doubt that there is a negative effect. As for positive effects, other than making the fingers feel better and more relaxed, who knows....

Answer 5

I have been cracking my bones all my life (60 yrs) and receive spinal manipulations regularly.

It is good to do it. They crack when they get back into place. Throughout the day our muscles are tightening and moving the bones.

Answer 6

There are these buble things or somethign or another that pop when "crack ur knuckles"a

Answer 7

you are slowly breaking tiny bits of the cartilage in your fingers or back when you crack them to often=arthritis will set in and that hurts a lot