Cracking knucklers? please help?

Question

i have been cracking my knuckles for a long time now i only crack about 4 fingers lol but anyway when i dont crack them i began to get pain and once i crack them it goes away what does that mean?

also i want to stop cracking my knuckles is it normal to feel pain after stopping because isnt it restoring tissue?

also does it cause arthritis?

i just want info please

thanks

Answer 1

i have the same problem.

i picked up the habit from an ex while i was demonstrating how it was disgusting and i hated it and i couldnt even crack mine, i did it, and havent stopped since its SO annoying.

Answer 2

The pop you hear/feel is a pocket of air your fingers use for lubrication being released. Over time you will develop arthritis and your fingers will have problems bending and extending. (The same way runner's knees wear out, your fingers will.)

Once the damage is done it can't really be reverse no matter what people advertise. "nothing is as good as the original". You can take an OTC like Advil but that will just help with the pain.

Answer 3

Cracking your knuckles is just releasing an air bubble inside the joint fluid in you joint or knuckle.  If the air bubble is in the right place, or large enough, it can cause pain.  Most likely, you are just prone to getting larger air bubbles or they keep forming in the right place to make it painful for you.

Personally I do not think that cracking knuckles has anything to do with arthritis at all.  However if you are cracking a knuckle and push too hard you can cause some damage, either to a muscle or to some part of the joint (more likely a muscle)