joint cracking

[Greg Bernhardt]

Is there any harm in cracking your joints, or benefits? I usually crack my knuckles and back 3-4 times a day and it seems to relieve stress and pain for a little while, but it seems unnatural and maybe harmful over time. What are your thoughts?

[Ana]

Hey, my husband tells me it's bad for me....but then he goes and does it himself...

My doc said it was normal to hear cracks every now and then...joints are supposed to move around (like when your back cracks when you stretch).

I have a rheumatoid disorder....I crack when I bend my knees and such....I don't know....I'm supposed to take vitamins and supplements for that kind of nonsense but they never seemed to do anything for me anyway so why pay the hefty price?


Is it bad for you to crack your knuckles? Will it really cause arthritis or increase your chance for arthritis when you get older? Beats me.

[esp]

Most of the time, the popping noise heard when you 'crack' joints is simply gas bubbles being forced out of cavities within the joint.
In such cases, there is little or no damage done, even in people who do it for fun.

[bbcboy]

Recent research has shown the the shock wave caused by the expulsion of gas can gradually erode articular cartilage. This is over a fair period of time, however modern thinking is that the more you crack them the more you'll need to.

[esp]

Do you have a reference for this research?

[bbcboy]

Dr Sheila Moss
Consultant and general know all at St' Helens

[esp]

?

[Banshee]

*...the more you crack them the more you'll need to.*

Argh Bbcboy! I get the shivers all over by reading that. I don't like it anyway, the sound of cracking joints really gives me the creeps...

I used to tell my son it was bad to crack his joints, just because it gives me the creeps. Only the thougt makes me shiver already. Bye you all, happy cracking...