Table of contents:
- What happens if you routinely crack your fingers for 60 years
- Risk of functional impairment of hands
Ringing your fingers or finger joints when they are sore can sometimes feel relieving, maybe even satisfying. However, doctors do not recommend that you crack your knuckles too often because according to some studies, this habit can cause injury. There used to be a suspicion that finger cracking could cause arthritis, but recently this assumption has been debunked.
As written on WebMD, clinking on the finger joints can cause negative pressure which pulls nitrogen gas to the joints, such as when the finger makes a "crack" sound. It's not dangerous, a truth. A “crack” may also be heard if the tendon hits the tissue because of a minor change in its friction path. This can lead to the breakdown of muscle mass and changes in motion.
If the “crack” sound is accompanied by pain, there could be something abnormal in your finger joint, such as a ligament injury or other problem. Some patients with arthritis (joint inflammation, usually pain), bursitis, or tendinitis usually experience a “crack” sound due to tissue swelling.
What happens if you routinely crack your fingers for 60 years
Quoted by DailyMail, to prove that finger joint is not dangerous, a man from California, Donald Unger, conducted an experiment on himself.
He cracks the finger on his left hand at least twice a day, but never rings the finger of his right hand. This was done so that he could compare the results on the two hands. Until finally after 60 years he proved that he did not have arthritis.
"I looked at my finger and there was not the slightest sign of arthritis on my hand," said Donald as he published his findings in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.
So far there are no studies that have found a link between finger cracking and arthritis, but this habit isn't necessarily a good thing. Other studies have revealed that these activities are associated with ligament and soft tissue damage.
Risk of functional impairment of hands
Contrary to Donald's experiment, other research was published in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases associated fingering with swelling of the hand and decreased gripping strength. The results of this study prompted other researchers to conclude that this habit leads to functional impairment of the hands.
In other studies of injuries arising from sounding joints, as described in American Journal of Orthopedics , manipulation and compulsion to hear a cracking sound in the finger can lead to acute injury.
"Many parents tell their children not to do this habit, but cracking the knuckles is not really a concern for physiotherapists unless it causes pain or swelling," says physiotherapist Sammy Margo.
Although many joints make a sound, Margo adds that the “crack” sound you hear when you crack your finger joint may also be associated with pain or swelling. "It could be an injury or wear of cartilage, torn cartilage, or osteoarthritis," said Margo.
