does cracking your wrists, toes, fingers, ankles etc. bad for you?

Answer 1

I've heard that it can lead to future arthritis.

my grandpa claims that is what happened to him.But i have heard that many times it can lead to arthritis.

Answer 2

Cracking joints is the practice of manipulating one's joints such that it produces a sharp sound, likened to cracking (also likened to popping, etc.). The most common form of this occurs during knuckle cracking, which is a different process from snapping ones fingers.

To produce the clicking sounds, many people bend their fingers into relatively unusual positions, that their own muscles are unable to achieve, and which are not commonly experienced in everyday use. For example, bending a finger backwards away from the palm, pulling them away from the hand, or compressing a finger knuckle toward the palm.

When a manipulation is performed, the applied force 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.
In many early motion pictures and subsequently parodied in animated cartoons, the gesture of cracking knuckles was associated with a "tough guy" image, especially when accompanied by the implicit or explicit threat of violence.

The physical mechanism is unknown, but possibilities that have been suggested include: cavitation within the joint – small cavities of partial vacuum form in the fluid then rapidly collapse, producing a sharp sound the sudden stretching of ligaments, release of gas from the joints being adjusted (this applies to the popping that can occur in any joint such as during chiropractic manipulation),adhesions being broken, which simply means that as two cartilage surfaces are pressed together, they form adhesions, and when the joints are separated this makes the popping or cracking sound.
The snapping of tendons or scar tissue over a prominence (as in snapping hip syndrome) can also generate a loud snapping or popping sound.

A single event is not enough to cause damage to the joint, although there is a hypothesis that prolonged joint stress due to cracking knuckles may eventually lead to a higher risk of joint damage. The long-term consequences of this practice have not been studied thoroughly, and the scientific evidence is inconclusive. However, the common parental advice "cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis" is not supported by any evidence, but habitual knuckle crackers are more likely to have hand swelling and lower grip strength.

While some people find cracking to be meditative, others find the practice to be disgusting and annoying to listen to.

Answer 3

I had to write a paper over this in chemistry.... The cracking noise is caused by the release of gas from the synovial fluid. This happens because when you bend your finger there is less pressure in the joint letting the gas out, over time the gas will dissolve again and everything will be back to normal. So crack away! :)

Answer 4

I've been cracking all of those body parts (along with my neck and back) for over a decade - I have not seen any problems.

Answer 5

People say it causes arthritis - but I've never known anyone to have arthritis from actually cracking their bones.

Answer 6

No, as long as you don't crack them by putting them in a position you couldn't do without pushing.
i.e: cracking your fingers forward, not back

Answer 7

no.. it's a myth that it used to cause arthritis. the popping sound you hear when you crack your knuckles are air bubbles between your joints popping and if you didn't pop them, the air would slowly release on its own as you flex your fingers.

Answer 8

Yup, Gramma says it causes Arthritis. Poor thing had it for years, with her fingers all twisted weird. She suffers a lot of joint pain daily.

Answer 9

hahah i actually researched this (i crack my fingers)
after i was SICK of people saying that i was going to get arthritis or my fingers are going to be ugly. blah blah blah

but it turns out to be that it could actually be GOOD for you.
i know weird. but yeah scientists researched this and yeah dont know the realy reason.

but no harm done.
:]

Answer 10

doing it all the time may make you more prone to arthritis in later life. and could bring on arthritis earlier.

Or so ive heard!!!!

do some research

Answer 11

there is alot of conflict in society about that question. based on my research, your joints get air pockets in them, and cracking them lets the air escape. on the other hand, cracking your knuckles etc make them get large and later in life you DO get arthritis.