Sunday, February 5, 2012

What cracking your knuckles is REALLY doing to your fingers

Do you like to crack your knuckles by splitting right down the middle of your fingers? I do!

Cracking of knuckles is a kind of habit like biting your nails. According to Dr. Rachel Vreeman, assistant professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine and co-author of Don't Cross Your Eyes...They'll Get Stuck That Way!: "There's not any hard science to explain why it's so addictive, but certainly people speculate it's one of these activities that releases nervous energy."

Do you know that cracking your knuckles is not cracking anything on your fingers? "That sound you hear is synovial fluid vapor cavities--or gas bubbles--in the fluid around your joints. With certain amounts of pressure you can make those bubbles burst," Dr Vreeman says.

However, bad news for those who like to crack your knuckles! Studies have shown that knuckle-crackers are no more likely to get arthritis than anyone else, but they do up their chances of hand discomfort (like swelling, less hand strength, and finger or joint injuries). So it's probably a good idea to leave your digits alone.

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