Cracking your fingers result in fat fingers? I think it's a myth, help me convince my friend

[LOLyourFace]

She thinks her fingers are fat because she cracks them all the time.

I somehow think this is a myth. Googling was only partially successful because I couldn't get any result from any reliable clinical source..

Can anyone help me with this?

 

[DanTMWTMP]

not sure...i crack mine all the time...a bad habit i knw......i always have to get the bowling balls w/ huge holes...hehe, oh wells, xgf liked it...

 

[LordMaul]

"cracking" fingers is only the escape of gasses built up in your joints - that's why almost any of your joints can "crack" if you can move them right. It's not harmful, it does not cause arthritis nor does it cause fat fingers. It might strain the muscles a little if you pull/push too hard, though.

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

Is she intentionally getting her fingers fat to compensate for something? j/k!! I said just j/k!! *runs away*

I crack mine a lot in the past, don't do it as often now. Not because it's getting fat, but I'm thinking it may wear thin the the smooth cushion (not sure of proper terminology) between the bones??

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: LordMaul
"cracking" fingers is only the escape of gasses built up in your joints - that's why almost any of your joints can "crack" if you can move them right. It's not harmful, it does not cause arthritis nor does it cause fat fingers. It might strain the muscles a little if you pull/push too hard, though.

It does not cause arthritis, but if you make a compulsive habit of it, it could hasten the onset of osteoarthritis by a few minutes. That's simple wear and tear on the joints, and cracking your knuckles is equivilant to open and closing your hands a dozen times or so.

 

[Spoooon]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: LordMaul
"cracking" fingers is only the escape of gasses built up in your joints - that's why almost any of your joints can "crack" if you can move them right. It's not harmful, it does not cause arthritis nor does it cause fat fingers. It might strain the muscles a little if you pull/push too hard, though.

It does not cause arthritis, but if you make a compulsive habit of it, it could hasten the onset of osteoarthritis by a few minutes. That's simple wear and tear on the joints, and cracking your knuckles is equivilant to open and closing your hands a dozen times or so.

I read somewhere that when you pop your knuckles, it should be painless. If it hurts, that means your doing damage to your joints and that could hasten the developement of arthritis. I don't know if that's true or not.

 

[TranceNation]

hmmm... i'd like to disagree with you, cracking your knuckles does cause authritis.

 

[AreaCode707]

According to my rheumatologist (argue with that), cracking your knuckles merely adds wear to them, which is what osteoarthritis is, by definition. You'd have to crack them incessently to make a noticeable difference in the onset.

 

[monckywrench]

Been doing it since about 1970 with zero ill effects. YMMV.