Is it possible to crack your knuckles? trigger finger syndrome

Many people enjoy the clicking sound of the knuckles located in their fingers. Therefore, they constantly turn them slightly until they crunch, which is somewhat unnerving for those who do not have such a habit. Exist different opinions about the harm that this crunch causes to the health of the joints. Let's figure out why clicking occurs when moving joints, and whether it is useful to relieve tension in this way.

Why does this sound occur?

Those who are used to cracking their fingers claim that this technique helps to cope with the heaviness in this part of the hand and increase mobility. They do not think that having such a habit is harmful. Experts say that this is a misconception; in fact, clicking in the joints does not bring any relief, they only help relieve emotional stress.

In the Middle East, there was even a ritual according to which people were supposed to crack their fingers during burial. This is how people relieved themselves of the stress associated with the funeral ceremony. This is where the expression “wringing your hands” comes from.

The physical urge to crack your knuckles arises from originating in the fingers static voltage. During movement atypical for joints, the pressure in the fluid filling the space between them drops and air bubbles form. When the joint returns to its place, the air bubbles burst sharply, and all famous sound. Changes in pressure in the interarticular fluid are harmful, since over time they can lead to deformation of the cavity that is filled with it.

What could be the consequences?

Surgeons and orthopedists from all over the world urge you not to crack your fingers, as it is very harmful. Such manipulation, if carried out regularly, can lead to:

• loosening of joints;
• dislocations;
• changing the appearance of the hand;
• development of inflammatory processes;
• pinched nerve endings;
• arthritis.

Nothing bad will happen just once, but if you crack your fingers constantly, then after a few years you will feel unpleasant sensations. Later, the pain may be replaced by changes in the hand and limitation of its mobility, after which it will be impossible to perform even basic actions with them.

Winner of the award for achievements that make you laugh, Donald Unger, a doctor from the United States, does not agree with the opinion of leading orthopedists. He doesn't think snapping fingers is harmful. Every day for 60 years the doctor cracked his fingers only on right hand, while the left one was not given such loads. When Unger reached the age of eighty-three, he examined both hands and found no differences. There were no signs of arthritis on them. It was this long-term study that was awarded the Ig Nobel Prize in 2009.

Orthopedists familiar with the results of this experiment argue that Unger’s example cannot be considered a refutation of long-known facts that clicking joints is harmful. The scientist may not have developed arthritis for other reasons, for example, due to a slight load on the joints. After all, Donald had to control himself so as not to crack his fingers on his left hand, and this cannot be called a stable habit. At the same time, many people, in moments of thoughtfulness or stress, do not notice how they begin to crack their joints.

How to get rid of this habit

Orthopedists suggest that people, instead of cracking their joints, learn to develop dynamic mobility in their fingers and relieve static tension in other ways. Let's consider the basic advice of leading doctors. The dynamics of hand movements can be developed with simple exercises:

• vigorous clenching and relaxing of the fist;
• with each finger you need to perform “clicks on the forehead” in the air;
• crossing fingers;
• shaking hands;
• a smooth wave with clasped hands.

Crunching in fingers

Crunching in fingers- a common phenomenon in almost all age categories of people. May be observed with infancy before old age.

The causes of crunching are varied, let's name the most common:

• Strong physical activity provokes excessive stretching of the ligaments, joints and bones;
• Sedentary lifestyle leads to atrophy not only of muscles, but also of the bone skeleton;
• Joint strains occurs when staying in one position for a long time;
• Congenital joint pathologies, when the joints are positioned freely relative to each other, clicks are heard as the bones move apart and return to their original position;
• immoderate carrying heavy objects;
• The crunch may indicate about joint diseases: bursitis (inflammation of the synovial bursa), tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons), arthritis (inflammation of the joints), arthrosis, rheumatism, etc. in this case, crunching will always be accompanied by pain;
• Injuries received can also cause crunching;
• Salt deposits, salt promotes hardening of cartilage, reduces tissue elasticity;
• Flaw calcium, liquid;
• Bad habit to remove emotional stress, if necessary, focus on any process, making important decisions;
• Mental disorder of varying severity.

The human skeletal system is designed specifically for movement. But any load should be moderate and reasonable for a particular organism.

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Norm

The norm is a natural or physiological crunch, which is observed during movements, movements, sharp turns, and physical exercise. As a rule, such a crunch is practically inaudible.

And if it arises, This is beneficial for the joints, as the necessary, natural relaxation of the bone skeleton and muscles occurs. If the joints, cartilage, and tendons are in a healthy condition, then even when stretching and other natural stretches there should be no crunching.

Crunching may be normal when it occurs physical activity, or after tension, if it is not accompanied by pain, swelling, stiffness, redness and other unpleasant symptoms

Can't cope with joint pain?

Joint pain can appear at any age; it gives a person unpleasant sensations and often severe discomfort.

Do not allow joint diseases to develop, take care of them today!

It has the following properties:

• Relieves pain syndrome
• Promotes regeneration of cartilage tissue
• Effectively relieves muscle hypertonicity
• Fights swelling and eliminates inflammation

Pathology

Pathological crunch delivers painful sensations, swelling appears, swelling is signs of joint deformation.

If this is a symptom of a disease, or hereditary pathologies joint development. Only a qualified orthopedist or surgeon can diagnose a disease or pathology.

When crunching fingers is not a symptom illness or pathology, and a person who likes to crunch expresses himself in this way, tries to attract the attention of others, or crunches precisely during nervous tension. A person with sore joints is unlikely to crack his fingers openly.

The desire to crunch for the public shows about a possible mental disorder. After all, you can find more adequate ways to express your personality. And perhaps drug therapy will be indicated. Consulting a psychotherapist will help solve this problem.

The mechanism of crunching in the fingers

In 1947, Canadian scientists conducted a study on the mechanism of the appearance of crunching in the fingers. Tests were carried out on volunteers whose fingers were stretched to the point of crunching and at this moment what was happening in the joints was recorded using MRI.

The conclusion was the following: when the joints are naturally or artificially stretched, the pressure drops sharply between them and a cavity is formed, which is filled with gas bubbles; when the joint is sharply bent, the bubbles burst with a specific pop.

Orthopedic doctors believe that the crunch occurs as specific reaction joints and tendons for sharp flexion

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Benefits of crunching

In the medical environment No consensus about the benefits or harm of this action. There is no talk of benefits at all. Some scientists and doctors speak not about the obvious benefits of crunching, but about its harmless effect on the human body.

Allegedly, those who like to crunch in this way relieve tension, relax, and do not pose any threat to health.

There is a well-known example of a Californian doctor who cracked the fingers of one hand for 60 years, and after 60 years he did not notice the difference between his hands.

That is, both hands were healthy. But this is an isolated case. It would be unreasonable to draw global conclusions based on it. The benefits of crunching can be discussed when it accompanies morning stretching and exercise, or after long work in one position.

Stiff muscles and ligaments are stretched and thus tension is relieved. Or when working on a computer for a long time, you need to relieve your fingers.

The harm of crunching

Most doctors and scientists speak out about the obvious dangers of crunching. Proving that uncontrolled crunching leads to deformation of the hands, loosening of joints, deficiency of synovial fluid, pinched nerve endings, dislocations, subluxations, swelling and swelling, inflammatory diseases of the joints.

It is known for sure that systematic crunching leads to fragility of the joints, and this can lead to more serious consequences. But also the aesthetic side of the issue: The crunch definitely creates a repulsive impression and raises doubts about the adequacy of the person who likes to crunch incessantly.

Consequences of crunching

As you know, each organism lives and develops according to its own individual laws. No one can guess whether there may be consequences of the crunch or not. If you intentionally crack your fingers several times in your life, then nothing bad will come of it.

But if this becomes a habit long years, then surely it can most in a negative way affect the condition of the joints. Constant unnatural load on the joint mechanism cannot pass without leaving a trace.

The joint and ligamentous apparatus is destroyed very slowly, throughout life: first it becomes loose, loses elasticity, cracks appear, a deficiency of joint fluid occurs, causing the joints to rub against each other causing pain.

And all this leads to serious inflammatory joint diseases. In your younger years, you don’t see any consequences of bad habits; you will have to reap the fruits of your thoughtless actions in adulthood. If there is even a small amount of risk to your health, it makes sense to think about whether you need to ruin your health.

How to get rid of this habit?

If scientists are still arguing about the benefits and harms of crunching, it would be wise not to experiment on your health. And do not irritate other people with excessive crunching.

If doctors have diagnosed that the crunch is not a symptom of a disease or pathology, but bad habit, then you need to gradually give up this habit. The main thing should be desire.

It is possible to replace the crunch with:

• Massage fingers, gradual rubbing of each finger from tip to base;
• Diversionary maneuvers solve a Rubik's cube, twirl the pen or balls in your hands;
• Charging for brushes, clenching and straightening of fists, rotation of hands clasped together, alternate flexion and extension of fingers, relaxation of hands by shaking;
• Baths with sea ​​salt or extracts of chamomile, sage, pine;
• Swimming. A wonderful sport that is indicated for various diseases, primarily the skeletal system. It also relieves psychological stress, relaxes muscles, and strengthens the immune system.

Prevention of cracking fingers

The complex of preventive measures is of particular importance for people with a hereditary predisposition to joint diseases, athletes and everyone who wants to maintain painless mobility of the skeletal skeleton into old age.

Let's outline the main events:

• healthy eating, be sure to include foods rich in calcium;
• Monitor your weight overweight overloads bones and joints;
• Consuming the required amount liquids, up to three liters in summer, up to two in winter;
• Move more, movements block congestion in the skeletal system;
• Safe sports, choose a sport that will benefit the body;
• Avoid injury and heavy physical activity.

Answer to the question- Is it possible to crack your fingers? It will be like this: yes, you can, but first evaluate all the possible risks to your own health and the peace of mind of those around you.

This can lead to joint deformation, pinched nerve endings, and also to the development of degenerative processes in joint tissue. That's why use all your willpower to stop crunching. fingers.

If you cannot get rid of this habit right away, then do it gradually. Try to constantly monitor your behavior and as soon as you catch yourself starting to crunch again fingers, stop immediately.

Replace finger crunching with something healthier or safer. For example, instead of cracking your knuckles, give yourself a finger massage or manicure. It will be both useful and pleasant.

Buy small balls, a Rubik's cube or an anti-stress ball. Every time you feel like crunching fingers, just start kneading the ball or rolling it into cubes.

Try to eat as many foods as possible that contain calcium and phosphorus - they will strengthen your joints and the crunch will go away. Include cottage cheese, milk, sour cream, as well as beans, soybeans, walnuts, peanuts, and, of course, fish in your diet.

You can get rid of cracking joints by swimming regularly. Therefore, if you have the opportunity, be sure to go. In a month or two, the crunch will pass, and your desire to crunch will disappear fingers.

Every time you catch yourself wanting to crack your joints, remember that in about 10 years they will most likely begin to swell and ache. And you shouldn’t flatter yourself with the thought that it’s in last time- don’t give your habit any chance to overcome you. And remember that in order to get rid of this habit, you must first want it, because without own desire you are unlikely to succeed.

Sources:

• how to stop your joints from cracking
• Is snapping your fingers harmful?

Cube Rubik's is rightfully considered the most popular puzzle in the world, which perfectly trains spatial thinking and visual memory. It is almost impossible to assemble this puzzle on the first try, and knowing specific algorithm, this can be done in a few minutes.

You will need

• Rubik's Cube

Instructions

Choose which color the assembly process will start with. Let's say you chose orange - this color will be the bottom edge of the cube during the assembly process. Now you need to assemble an orange cross of five squares on the bottom edge. On the four side faces you need to get two squares of the same color, touching the cross. At the end of the first stage, you should have an orange cross on the bottom edge, and two identical squares on the side edges: the central one and the one below it. Note the fact that the central squares of the edges are stationary and therefore can serve as assembly guidelines, indicating the color of one side or another.

Assemble the pieces into a "T" shape on the sides of the puzzle. At the end of the second stage of solving the cube Rubik's you should still have the orange cross on the bottom edge, and on the sides you should have upside down T's. Please note that the “legs” of the “T” are short and consist of only one central square. It is important to know that the squares located at the corners of the puzzle and representing three color segments cannot move inside the edges.

Assemble the horizontal center of the side edges, that is, instead of inverted “T” letters, you should have rectangles adjacent to the bottom edge. At the end of this stage, you should have collected an orange cross at the bottom and two-thirds of each of the sides of the cube Rubik's(lower and middle rows).

Work on assembling the cross on the top side of the puzzle. At the end of this stage, you should have cross-shaped figures of five colored squares on the top and bottom faces, and on the sides of the cube Rubik's The lower and middle rows are kept assembled.

Rearrange the side squares on the bottom and top edges. The top rows on the sides will assemble themselves. That's all!

Video on the topic

note

Try solving the puzzle in other ways, because there are many options for solving the Rubik's cube. The shortest assembly process consists of 23 steps, and the record time is 9 seconds.

There is an old folk saying: “The spine is the axis of life,” and it’s good if it doesn’t cause you problems. But with age, it happens that this “axis” becomes more and more tense, movements become constrained, and deep bends are almost impossible.

The very principle of crunching is as follows: each joint or vertebra has a small gap between its surfaces, which is filled with synovial fluid. Some of the movements lead to an increase in this gap, as a result, it decreases and microbubbles are formed, which emit when they collapse.

Very often, when complaining of a crunch in the spine, the doctor diagnoses “salt deposits.” But there are other phenomena of this kind.

A characteristic crunch in the spine can be heard in the most different situations. For example, many people pay attention to it, special exercises aimed at stretching various parts of the spine or increasing its mobility. The crunching is especially audible when performing the first movements, then relief is usually felt.

If you have been sitting at the computer for a long time or have held a stationary position while reading a book, and then decide to stretch your neck muscles by moving your head, you may experience a crunch in your spine. Don't worry too much; this sound, as a rule, is not associated with any disease.

When performing certain techniques in modern manual therapy, it is desirable that you experience a slight crunch in the vertebrae. This characterizes correctly performed influences. In Chinese Wushu gymnastics, there is a section containing exercises to influence the spine and joints, in their case the main feature correct execution exercises is also the presence of a characteristic crunch.

But if the crunching becomes constant or very often accompanies various habitual movements, such as walking, bending, squats, etc., and is also observed in conjunction with pain in the spine, there is a reason to pay serious attention to your health.

A typical constant crunch occurs when joint fluid decreases. In this case, the articular surfaces of the upper and lower jaw when chewing or talking, they experience increased friction with characteristic sound. This decrease in intra-articular fluid occurs as a result of previous inflammatory diseases, operations or injuries of the jaw joint.

The cause of a crunching jaw may be various diseases such as rheumatism or rheumatoid arthritis. As a rule, the disease affects many joints, larger ones. As a result of the impact of autoimmune complexes or B-hemolytic complexes on articular cartilage, local inflammation occurs in them, accompanied by joint tissue and a decrease in intra-articular fluid. For rheumatism, morning “stiffness” of joint movements is more typical, incl. and for the jaw. By evening, the feeling of discomfort and crunching in the jaw usually decreases or disappears.

Almost anyone, even quite a person, can periodically experience a crunch in the jaw. If it does not cause discomfort and does not limit the functional mobility of the jaw joint, it is not. And if it occurs frequently, interferes with everyday life and is accompanied by pain, this is a reason to consult a doctor.

Video on the topic

Sources:

• jaw crunches what to do in 2019

You've probably noticed more than once how often some people turn their heads all the way to relieve tension in their neck, and at the same time a sound similar to a crunching occurs? There are several reasons for this and almost all of them can be eliminated. But forced movements of the neck are far from safe. They can lead to complications such as chronic pain, osteoporosis and even stroke.

The neck resembles the sound that occurs when some people clench their joints to relieve stress. The crunch may also be accompanied by a pop, followed by a feeling of relief. Many people do this out of habit and unconsciously. And although this does relieve tension in the neck, it is not worth it, as complications may arise.

Causes of a crunch in the neck

The neck contains six vertebrae supported by muscles, ligaments and tendons. This provides head mobility and support, allowing us to nod and turn without problems. But constant stress can lead to a crunch in the cervical spine. As a rule, this is not dangerous, but if the crunching is accompanied by pain, you should consult a doctor.

A crunch in the neck can also occur with excessive accumulation of calcium salts in the neck. In this case, it is necessary to eliminate calcium metabolism disorders.

Bubbles

Thick synovial fluid surrounds each of the six cervical vertebrae, lubricating them. This liquid contains nitrogen and carbon dioxide, creating bubbles. Mobility of the vertebrae increases pressure, and vesicles. This process is cavitation. This is where the crunching sound comes from.

Ligaments

Ligaments support a vertebra where it meets another vertebra to allow them to move. A growth may appear on the bone tissue, so the ligament gets stuck in it and is released when the head is turned. The moment the ligament slides over the bone, a crunching sound occurs.

Bone diseases

Diseases such as osteoporosis and arthritis can cause joint loss of elasticity. This leads to bone degeneration in the cervical spine. Cervical osteoporosis, also known as cervical spondylosis, is an age-related disease. After age 50, the porous discs in the cervical vertebrae degenerate and lose their ability to prevent the vertebrae from rubbing against each other. The bone tissue and ligaments thicken, the distance between the vertebrae decreases, and as a result, stiffness and pain occur in the neck. A crunch in the neck often occurs in older people. Cervical spondylosis can also develop in people with poor posture.

Injury

Cervical spine injury - common occurrence among athletes, and especially gymnasts. Even after rehabilitation, the neck remains weak point and can be disturbing. A crunch in the neck can occur with movements that create additional stress on the cervical vertebrae.

Crunch in the neck special exercises and physiotherapy. However, if it is accompanied by pain, then before starting treatment it is necessary to relieve the pain syndrome.

Crunch in a child's neck

People often experience a soft crunching sound in the neck, shoulder blades, knee joints. This is due to their hypermobility. Sometimes this happens with congenital abnormalities in the development of connective tissue. As a rule, such problems are solved using physical therapy and massage. with your own hands: cleanse the skin, nourish it and moisturize it. Peeling on the fingers can be caused by a lack of certain vitamins in the human body. This usually happens in winter and spring. It is recommended to eat more fruits and take vitamin and mineral complexes.

The cause of flaky fingers may lie in the irritating effect of certain detergents and cleaning products on them: washing powder, dishwashing liquid, etc. The fact is that household chemicals can damage the epidermis, which protects the skin from external influences. unfavorable factors. Sometimes such chemistry can cause skin diseases - dermatitis, eczema. In this case, you should definitely seek the help of a doctor. The next reason is a fungal infection. It is this that causes serious disruption of the integrity of the skin. Here, too, you can’t do without a dermatologist.

The delicate skin of the hands may begin to peel due to exposure to dust, and also be a response to poor nutrition, animal hair, etc. And in winter, this problem can be associated not only with a lack of essential vitamins, but also due to contrasting temperature changes: from cold to warm. Excess moisture also causes fingers to peel. In this case, it arises directly between them. It is recommended to wash and dry your hands thoroughly after each use.

Increased exposure ultraviolet rays on the skin of the hands can also cause them to peel. This problem also arises due to metabolic disorders in the body. Often the delicate skin of the hands suffers due to constant human contact with the ground: a gardener works on the site, a digger digs a trench, etc. Cement and dust also make the skin on your hands rough and flaky. Improper hygiene is another reason for this problem. In addition, if the skin on your hands is especially tender and sensitive, then you should not use terry towels; there are cotton towels for this.

note

Only a qualified dermatologist will be able to determine the cause of flaky fingers with maximum accuracy and prescribe the correct treatment.

The question of the dangers of crunching fingers causes a lot of controversy and disagreement, even among doctors.

If you want, you can find a lot of evidence that this is an absolutely innocent habit. Or, on the contrary, it is a dangerous manipulation, the consequences of which will certainly overtake a person closer to old age. To crunch or not to crunch – there is no specific answer. Experts' comments were divided almost equally.

Causes of the phenomenon

The situation when there is a crunch in some joint is quite popular. Many people have this harmless habit of cracking their knuckles and get an undeniable delight from the process. This fact is likely to irritate your loved ones. They don't understand why their finger joints crack. At least one person will express the opinion that an innocent procedure will inevitably cause arthritis. Over the course of a long time, this myth has become reality.

The root cause of the crunching is explained by several hypotheses. A variant of the norm is considered to be a condition when a crunch appears no more than once every 15-30 minutes. When the cracking sound is not accompanied by painful sensations and does not appear after injury, there is no point in conducting an examination.

Other reasons:

• hypodynamic lifestyle;
• poor nutrition;
• dysplasia (underdevelopment) of joints;
• early stage arthritis;
• deforming arthrosis;
• chronic bursitis – susceptibility to inflammatory processes of the synovial cavity;
• tendinitis is inflammation of tendon tissue.

Some other diseases cause crunching in the limbs, which require serious therapy. A qualified specialist must determine the severity of the condition and prescribe treatment. Self-medication can only make the situation worse.

For some people, clicking joints occur when the tendons and ligaments are under strong tension. When the articular capsule is stretched, the joint becomes excessively mobile, and the person’s fingers become more comfortable.

Video

Is it harmful to crack your fingers?

What happens when forced pressure is applied to the joints of the hands?

You should be curious about what happens when you crack your knuckles. A healthy joint always moves silently. Micro-sliding is facilitated by the synovial surface and special lubricant.

What happens during crunching is explained quite simply:

• accumulates a large number of static stress in the phalanges;
• the joints contain a certain amount of liquid and gas (carbon dioxide, O2, nitrogen);
• thanks to synovial lubrication, the bone joints do not injure each other, but glide during movements without noise;
• The crunch stretches the articular capsules between the phalanges, and the pressure sharply decreases.

The condition causes gas bubbles to appear. A characteristic click and crunch occurs when the bubbles burst. After a few minutes (15-30), the gas again accumulates in the joint fluid, and the cracking sound is easy to repeat. No harmful or dire consequences the situation will not bring.

Whether crunching is harmful to fingers can be determined by determining the nature of the cracking. Physiological cracking does not cause pain, does not contribute to swelling of the joints, and there is no blockage or stiff mobility of the joint.

Physiological crunching is often observed in children and adolescents. Since they grow spasmodically, the ligaments do not keep up with rapid growth bones or vice versa. Jerky growth disrupts the joint cavity. The hands are deprived of a sufficient amount of joint lubrication, and the joints may creak quietly or a distinct crunching sound can be heard.

Is there any benefit?

Many people experience satisfaction after cracking their knuckles. This is how they release their tension, twisting their fingers straight until they crunch.

Is cracking your fingers beneficial or is there harm from this activity?

When the phalanges of the hands crunch, the condition does not always indicate pathology. Often, imperfections in the motor-supporting frame or nutritional errors create grinding, crunching, and hypermobility of the joints. Sometimes this happens silently, but often sounds of varying intensity appear. There is no benefit or harm in this, unless other unpleasant symptoms occur.

Is cracking your fingers harmful, is it worth taking? necessary measures for treatment, some signs will help answer the question. An increase in the size of the joint, pain, swelling, redness, decreased mobility, loss of sensitivity - all these symptoms that increase over time and do not go away are a reason to consult a doctor.

Consequences of cracking fingers

Leading orthopedists and world-class surgeons do not advise cracking any joints. They explain why cracking your fingers is prohibited and harmful. This can lead to unwanted complications and serious consequences.

Regular, specially caused crunching leads to the following problems:

• loosening of the joint capsule;
• constant dislocations and subluxations;
• change appearance fingers;
• loss of finger and hand strength;
• pinching nerve fibers;
• inflammatory diseases of the joints and surrounding tissues.

One time crunch serious complications it won’t, but if you crunch your fingers regularly, in the distant future you can feel the unpleasant consequences of crunching. Later, the structure of the entire hand changes, and complete limitation of hand mobility can occur. The person will not be able to perform basic movements.

How to get rid of this habit?

To avoid side effects, it is better to quickly get rid of the habit of cracking your joints. Cracking and crunching in the fingers gradually reduce the strength of the limbs. It is worth changing your behavior methods, since cracking your fingers is not always safe.

• squeezing the phalanges of the fingers into a strong fist, then gradually relaxing;
• performing clicks with each finger separately;
• alternately crossing fingers, shaking hands in the air;
• do self-rotations with hands and fists;
• shake your relaxed hands temperamentally;
• make a lock with two hands, make a smooth wave.

Gymnastics should be repeated 8-10 times. When the desire to crunch appears, any one of these exercises is enough. For those who are sure that cracking their phalanges is dangerous, classes will help to for a long time keep your fingers healthy.

Points for and against

US scientist Donald Unger, a doctor by profession, constantly cracked the fingers of only one hand throughout his life to prove to his relative that cracking fingers is not harmful. By the age of 80, both hands were in in good condition. Many years later, the doctor concluded that crunching does not harm the fingers. The doctor received a medical award for experimenting on himself.

Despite this, another group of experts constantly talks about the dangers of cracking. The arguments they provide are:

1. cracking of the interphalangeal joints destabilizes the joints, loosens the capsule, which ultimately leads to displacement, causing dislocations and pinching nerve tissue;
2. phalanges are vulnerable, sensitive, they are subject to inflammation and rapid destruction and deformation.

Despite evidence-based medicine and research, many medical reference books They claim that crunching is harmful to health. However, we can conclude that constant crunching, which has not caused anxiety or pain since childhood, is not a reason to give up the habit. When the crunch is accompanied by pain, swelling, restriction motor function, then pathology occurs. It is worth seeing a rheumatologist.

Clicking your knuckles is one of the human habits that is considered harmful. Orthopedists say that cracking your fingers can lead to the unpleasant diagnosis of arthritis.

But is it? Is it possible to crack your fingers from time to time without harm to your health if it gives you pleasure?

Fans of finger snapping motivate their addiction by the fact that, in their opinion, crunching perfectly relaxes and restores joints.

But in reality everything happens differently. When the fingers are tense, stiffness of the joints occurs, the surface of the fingers becomes compressed, which causes temporary discomfort. The crunch should relieve a person from unpleasant sensation, but at the same time, the joints become “loose,” the pressure between them drops, and gas is formed, which is released with a characteristic clicking sound.

Is it harmful to crack your knuckles?

At first, the habit does not make itself felt, but literally after a few years, a person with a predisposition to joint diseases may begin to swell his hands and involuntarily bend his fingers. Sometimes severe pain begins, not only the fingers, but also another group of joints may begin to crack: in the hips, elbows, shoulders, spine.

What is the fascination with cracking fingers?

Destabilization of joints. Pinched nerves. Subluxations, dislocations. Violation of the structure of the limbs.

How to wean yourself off crunching

Like any other bad habit, finger cracking has psychological basis, this means that refusal will require a certain amount of willpower. To help those who want to quit, orthopedists offer a simple set of exercises that improve the condition of the joints.

1. Start rotating your hands. Do several approaches 5 times and relax your arms, lowering or shaking them down.

2. Bend and straighten your fingers into a fist several times, straining your fingers. The minimum number of exercises is 5-7 times.

3. Start doing virtual clicks on the forehead, doing them 3 times in a row.

4. Play the adult “magpie-crow” game: squeeze your fingers one at a time with force, starting from the little finger to thumb.

5. Cut the air like scissors, imagining a large piece of thick cardboard.

6. Gather your hands into a lock and lower them down with force, and then raise your hands above your head, moving them in a wave.

Doctors highly praise baths with pine needles or sea salt, which should be done every day for one week, and then done small break. The duration of one procedure should not exceed 15 minutes, the water temperature can be slightly higher than human body temperature and be 37 degrees.

If you constantly want to crack your fingers, find a pleasant activity for your hands: perform self-massage, stroking your hands, twirling a Rubik's cube.

Prevention of crunching

In the office, when you really want to crack your fingers, do a five-minute exercise session that includes a dynamic warm-up for your fingers. Make time for physical exercise: ideally, you should go to the gym 3 times a week. Orthopedists call yoga and swimming the best activities in the fight against crunching. Excess weight and crunching of fingers are inseparable: in this case, clicking may be a sign of pathology against the background of excess kilograms. If your fingers hurt badly, consult a doctor. Perhaps I will prescribe chondoprotectors or drugs that improve blood circulation.

Curious, but alone English doctor Donald Unger conducted an experiment and cracked his fingers every day, devoting more than 50 years to this activity. The experimental doctor avoided chronic joint diseases, and he lived to a ripe old age. However, modern doctors are confident that the Englishman’s case is rather an exception to the rule and advise not to let the habit take its course.

I wish you health and joy without bad habits!

There are as many disputes on this issue as there are disputes on the topic “Who came first, the chicken or the egg”! If you wish, you can find a lot of articles proving that this is a completely harmless habit or, on the contrary, a dangerous procedure, the consequences of which you will face in old age. Many may reassure you, while others, on the contrary, may scare you with arthritis. “So to crunch or not to crunch?” you ask. Let's look at the pros and cons of finger cracking together.

You can read the opinion about the harmlessness of finger cracking from many elderly, authoritative people, for example, such as Californian doctor Donald Unger. In his books and publications, he mentions that since childhood, he cracked the knuckles of his left hand every day. Naturally, he very often heard a warning from his mother that arthritis would await him in old age. But having lived to the age of 83, he claims that the sensations in his right and left hands are the same. From his point of view, the sound that we hear when we crunch our fingers is just the bursting of gas bubbles. And with this procedure we stimulate the tendons, relax the muscles and weaken the joints. But then I want to ask a question dear sir Donald Unger. If, as he claims, cracking his fingers is not only harmless, but also useful, then why are his hands in the same condition in old age? Shouldn't he left hand feel better than the right? Do not forget that Donald Unger received his prize in medicine not for proving the harmlessness of the habit of cracking fingers, but for conducting an experiment on himself!

And on the contrary,

Doctors agree that the sound we hear when we crunch our fingers is bursting gas bubbles. But I want to figure out what kind of gas it is and where the bubbles in it come from. When a person cracks his fingers, he sharply reduces the pressure in the interarticular fluid and the gas in it releases bubbles, and they, in turn, burst and we hear it. Over time, everything will fall into place, but while this happens, the balance of inter-articular fluid in the joints of the fingers is disturbed and because of this the joints become “loose”. If you “crunch” your fingers a couple or three times in your life, nothing bad will happen, but if you do this all the time? At first, you may not feel any harm from “loosening” your joints, but after 8-12 years of this addiction, you will notice that the joints will begin to swell and your fingers will take on an ugly shape. With prolonged crunching of your fingers, you can destabilize the joints, and this in turn can provoke dislocations and pinched nerve endings, and then lead to inflammatory processes in the tissues. A next step arthritis will appear.

Famous doctors Castellanos J. and Axelrod D. when writing their book “ Chronicle of Rheumatic Disease” (1990) conducted studies on the effects of cracking fingers, based on x-rays, they prove that this habit leads to swelling of the joints and deformation of the fingers.

Leading orthopedists and traumatologists, if the need arises to “crunch your fingers,” suggest replacing this procedure with dynamic exercises or pampering your fingers with baths with added sea salt.

Dynamic exercises for finger joints: 1. Bend and straighten your fingers into a fist; when performing this movement, do not forget to tense your fingers. This exercise should be done 4-5 times.

2. Imagine that you are clicking someone on the forehead. Such virtual clicks should be performed with each finger. This exercise should be done 2-3 times.

3. Squeeze your fingers one by one, starting from the little finger and ending with the thumb, then do the opposite. This exercise should be done 2-3 times.

4. Cross your fingers like a scissors exercise. This exercise should be done 4-5 times.

5. Connect your fingers into a “lock”, lift them above your head and sharply lower them down, each separately. This exercise should be done 3-4 times.

6. Connect your fingers into a “lock” and make a “wave” with them. This exercise should be done 4-5 times.

These simple and painless exercises will replace crunching your fingers. But although exercises will help your fingers, unfortunately, they will not help you get rid of the habit. Try to distract yourself when the urge to crack your fingers arises. To begin with, you can simply massage your hands; if this doesn’t help, move small balls or a pen between your fingers, or even better, buy yourself a Rubik’s cube and solve it whenever you want to crunch your fingers. And it should be remembered that in at a young age It is much easier to get rid of a bad habit than if you are older.

In the comments, tell us if it annoys you when someone cracks their knuckles or maybe you yourself have this strange habit.

Probably not

Crunching your fingers is considered a bad habit, and orthopedists advise getting rid of it. Meanwhile American doctor Donald Unger conducted an interesting experiment: for more than 60 years, he cracked the fingers on his left hand every day, but did not do this on his right. By age 83, he could see no difference in the condition of his finger joints, and there were no signs of arthritis in either hand. This unique research was awarded the 2009 Ig Nobel Prize.

It is interesting that in ancient times in the Middle East it was customary at funerals and as a sign of grief for a deceased person to loudly crack one’s fingers and at the same time wring one’s hands. But for some reason, truly grieving people, such as widows, were never able to crack their fingers. Therefore, it was necessary to hire special mourners who, among other things, were obliged to “wring their hands.”

Nowadays, some people just love to crack their knuckles. The sound made by the joints greatly unnerves others. Maybe that's why a person enjoys such actions.

Recently, English scientists conducted research to accurately answer the question why do fingers crack? Since the joints are smooth from the inside and there doesn’t seem to be anything crunching there. Therefore, a special device was designed that was supposed to pull the fingers with a certain force and speed. The tests carried out were similar to the humane option medieval torture. About twenty volunteers took part in them. When the fingers were sprained, specialists took x-rays of the joints

Thus, it was found that during joint stretching, the pressure in its cavity drops sharply. The space between the joints is filled with a special lubricant. When the pressure drops, the liquid “boils”, after which a gas bubble forms in it. The gas cannot escape from the inside, and since the joint is sealed, when the traction stops, the gas instantly dissolves in the liquid. At the end, the bubble pops with a loud characteristic sound.

Widows ancient east It was not possible to “wring” one’s hands, since during times of stress a person’s amount of fluid in the musculoskeletal cavity increases, and therefore the drop in pressure in it cannot be so strong. But it is still not known whether cracking your fingers is harmful or, conversely, beneficial.

So what makes people make such sounds and in general, is snapping your fingers harmful? The whole point is that a person sometimes thinks that this the only way Stretch your stiff hands and relieve tension. Gradually, this “relaxation” develops into a bad habit, because the more often you crack your fingers, the more often you feel the desire to repeat the “procedure.”

Orthopedists and traumatologists believe that snapping your fingers is harmful! This threatens to destabilize the joints, which can lead to pinched nerves and a tendency to dislocation. In fact, cracking your fingers loosens your joints.

To develop stiff joints, it is better to do various dynamic exercises or use pine-salt baths for the hands. It will also be beneficial for the skin. The result of such events will be much more effective.

By the way, is snapping your fingers harmful? Ask others about it. Maybe not everyone knows why it’s not possible, but most people become furious when they hear this unpleasant crunch. So, take care not only of your joints, but also the nerves of your loved ones...

My school friend always cracked his fingers in class. We should find him and show him this article! 🙂

There are people who love to crack their knuckles. Most often, such a crunch occurs when bending the fingers, although the crunch can also be produced using the neck, spine, etc. To be honest, I myself could “crack” my neck before, and so I decided to write a short article about it.

It is believed that if you frequently crunch joints, vertebrae and other human accessories that can make a crunching sound, then soon the ligaments in these places become increasingly stretched and their functioning decreases. The corresponding crunching sound comes from the rupture of a bubble of synovial fluid inside. But this is so - for general development.

There is also an opinion that those who crack their joints a lot have more likely development of arthritis. Here two camps appear: some say that you are guaranteed to have arthritis, while others completely deny it.

Okay, all this is great, but we need some kind of answer - is crunching harmful or not?

It’s harmful, so I’ll give up this bad habit, i.e. crunch on purpose.
On the other hand, if you periodically do exercises or stretching, then a crunch in the spine is inevitable, but it can hardly cause damage. On the contrary, it is useful. Or you might get the impression that you need to throw away any physical exercise with the note: “no matter what crunches.”
So it’s not advisable to intentionally crack your fingers, and especially your neck, because it will come back to haunt you sooner or later.

How to crack your knuckles! Crackling your knuckles is something that can relieve tension in your fingers, keep your hands busy, and annoy those around you... and even scare you! In general, why not crunch? But how? So read on...
1-clasp your palms together. Let's say it's like holding a die between them. This is the first stage.
2-
Straighten your fingers sharply and press on the joint of each phalanx. The bottom ones will be easy to crunch, the top ones will be more difficult, but it’s also possible. The force with which you press should be enough to make it snap immediately. Sometimes it doesn't help. If you keep pressing and pressing, if your finger is already sore and not crunching, leave that finger alone!
3-
Another option is to clench one hand into a fist. Then, accordingly, you need to rest your other palm on it and press. This way you can crunch a whole row at once! You can turn your hand a little and press on the upper joints too. By the way, you will have to get used to this, and at first it will also hurt.

Crunch one finger at a time. Make a fist as required for other methods, but now concentrate on one finger at a time. If you direct all the pressure onto one finger, the crunching can be very loud! With the palm of one hand, hold the one on which you will apply pressure. You need to press on this finger with your thumb. Press either from the top or bottom of your finger - the main thing is to do it one at a time.

Experiment and don't clench your hand into a fist. Instead, cup your palms as if you were praying. Your fingers and palms should touch each other. Then spread your palms... and keep your fingers still pressed against each other! Apply more pressure with your fingers, spreading your palms apart until it cracks. Here you may need to move your hands a little. Average and ring fingers The index and little fingers should crackle immediately, after some time.

6-Learn to crunch by twisting your fingers. There are two options: With one hand, grab your finger, hold your finger straight, and start turning your hand. Over time you will learn, it will work out well! So you can crunch and upper phalanges- you just need to take it a little higher.

Grab it top part finger and turn your hand. In other words, you will not be twirling the crunching hand, but rather twirling the hand while crunching.

7-Learn to crack your fingers without touching them at all. Tighten your fingers and begin to slowly bend them forward. This may work if you have an easy crunch at all. However, for many this is an unattainable dream. More less people they know how to squeeze a crunch out of a finger that has just cracked. If you can’t do this, don’t worry - you’ll succeed in 5-10 minutes.

There are many ways to squeeze a crunch out of your fingers: twirl your fingers, type with them, and then suddenly pull them out... the main thing is to pull harder.

You can crunch each finger separately, and you may even find that your fingers crunch at one angle or another. Experiment by twisting your arms!
With your thumb and forefinger, pinch the finger on your other hand by the middle phalanx, squeeze it, turn it back and forth - and you will hear not a crunch, but something like a “click”.
Can be pressed hard bottom part finger to squeeze the crunch out of it. Believe me, it will work out, although not right away.
Relax your fingers, then grab one of them and begin to bend it to the sides.

I accidentally came across a funny comment:
“Are your joints cracking? - well, let them crunch, and we dance! PS: if anyone wants to correct me or, on the contrary, support me, in short, express their point of view - I will be sincerely happy about it!