Should I Stop Cracking My Fingers?

According to scientific researchers, cracking your knuckles or fingers is a harmless habit. However, it might be annoying for the people around you, so you might want to quit cracking your knuckles. The habit of knuckle cracking is very common among people of all ages, but it can be problematic for you when people in your family or around you are feeling annoyed. Especially in the case of children, you might want them to break their habit of knuckle cracking because they are doing it just to draw other’s attention. Moreover, if a person gets the addiction of cracking their knuckles all the time every single day then it is of serious concern because it is not considered a healthy habit.

Cracking of knuckles is a very common habit and most people do it deliberately to enjoy the popping sound and feeling. For some people, knuckle cracking becomes an annoying habit whenever they are feeling nervous or anxious. Cracking of knuckles becomes a source of venting out or releasing the tension. If one really wants to crack his knuckles, then it is unlikely to pose any danger to his health. However, doctors warn that the children or elderly people having soft bones must need to quit this habit. People with musculoskeletal conditions, such as arthritis, should avoid cracking their knuckles as doing so is medically proven to harm their delicate joints and may exacerbate the troublesome symptoms.  

However, if you are concerned about someone else cracking their knuckles you might need a reasonable explanation and persuasion for them to quit. While in the case of children, parents or a teacher must help them to quit this habit because it is discomforting and annoying for the people around. 

If there is absence of any swelling, pain or any other joint discomfort, most doctors say that it is okay to crack your knuckles. In addition to intentionally cracking your fingers, you must wonder that sometimes stretching the fingers in certain ways can result in familiar cracking or popping sound as the one comes from cracking your knuckles. 

Some people also get to realize that they must stop cracking their knuckles for good because of their friends or family conveying them a clear message of how annoying this habit is. The habit of knuckle cracking is surely very enjoyable for a person doing it, but is not as flattering as some consider. 

There are some trace evidences which support the relation of hand osteoarthritis and knuckle cracking. Some of the danger of knuckle cracking includes joint problems, triggering pain in the joints, an abnormality in the structure of the joints, overstretched ligaments, dislocated fingers, poor grip strength, and swelling in the hands. All of the above possible side effects of knuckle cracking can be dangerous for you so it is better to break this unhealthy and useless habit as it is not doing you any good either.