Does anyone know if snapping fingers is bad for people's health?
369802
No its not... its only realising air bubbles that forms in your joints...
71663
I dont think youre old enough to understand the consequences. You should be talking to a real person who knows you. Other than that there are no real health issues that I know of. Unless of course his hands are dirty.
1025281
if you crack your knuckles often enough, you can end up with swollen ligaments.\n\nA study looked at 300 people who had been cracking knuckle joints for 35 years. They had slightly swollen joints (which is no big deal). But the real surprise was that their hands were weaker - their grip strength was one quarter as strong as it should been!\n\nIt does NOT cause arthritis. In fact, it's not dangerous at all, said Dr. Jonathan Kay, clinical director of the rheumatology unit at Massachusetts General Hospital.\n"The cracking sound you hear when you pull on your fingers is caused by the release of negative pressure within the joint," he said. Inside every joint in the body, a gooey substance called synovial fluid coats the surfaces of cartilage to protect them. Just as two discs coated with mineral oil stick together and can only be pulled apart with a bit of force, so it is inside the joint. When you pull, you break the vacuum seal created by the synovial fluid and the breaking of that seal causes the popping sound -- from the bursting of bubbles of gases dissolved in the fluid.\nCuriously, it takes about 20 minutes for the seal to re-establish itself. So crack your knuckles all you want. You might stretch a few ligaments, but you will not give yourself arthritis. But it'll be no fun unless you wait 20 minutes between cracks.
1067823
I crack my knuckles too.  I've been researching it for years.  All the medical evidence says that it will NOT give you arthritis.  It's just you removing the air pockets from the joint.
514454
it could be arthritis, but u said popping it stops the pain, so i would say that you have a lot of air between your joints and popping it relieves the pressure. Stretching and bending your fingers can make the popping not as constant as before. One main tip that i read on the website that might be helpful for you is:\n Eat a varied diet high in nutritious foods, especially magnesium.. magnesium is able to relax muscles.\nThe second website is really helpful.
157743
There are no truly "double-jointed" people. Some people have tendons and ligaments that are not nearly as tight as others, and some have done enough stretching and bending to loosen their ligaments and tendons. The key is going slowly. Ligaments and tendons can separate, tear, and literally snap if you go too far too fast. Slow, smooth repeated motions that gradually extend your range of motion (like yoga) are probably best. You have some genetic limits that are related to how your own particular body is constructed. Someone else may have genetic limits that are greater or less than yours. You can however, in almost every case, improve your flexibility within the limits that your body type imposes.
1077214
Popping of joints releasing pressure bubbles and was previously thought to cause arthritis.  While this has been largely disproven, it is a VERY bad idea to pop your knees as they are load bearing joints (unlike fingers).  Popping them can cause misalignments that, under pressure could result in injury or dislocation.  Popping is not a physical needs, but a compulsive behavior. Make a decision to stick to your finger and toes.  Steer clear of the knees, back and neck.
475622
I wouldn't say that it's GOOD or BAD for your health.\n\nIf you like doing it, knock yourself out. \nBut it's not going to harm you either way.
509638
Okay time for a serious answer. \n\nNo it's not bad for your health. And you won't go blind or anything else, in fact tests have shown that it will keep your **** operating better. But many people won't tell you this becasue they don't want you "playing" with it.
994451
Ive never really heard about infrared causing any health problems, but at the same time, it is radiation coming from those little things (miniscule if im not mistaken). I think you'll be ok as long as your not like, pointing the remote control at your eye and pressing the button day or night.
638485
The Real Deal on Cracking Your Kuckles\nWhat's really happening when you "crack" your knuckles is that you are either pushing the joint back into or out of its normal position. Joints are the meeting points of two separate bones which are held together by connecting tissues and ligaments. A thick, clear lubricant (made mostly of carbon dioxide and some nitrogen) called synovial fluid is found between the bones. When you stretch or pull your finger to get that desired popping noise, you are causing the bones to pull apart. Pressure is reduced on the synovial fluid and bubbles form that quickly expand and then burst - which is why you get that noise.\n\nDoes Knuckle Cracking Lead to Arthritis?\nNot everybody's joints crack. Some people have a larger separation between the bones and some people can't relax enough to allow the bones to separate. If you can crack and your mom tells you, you're going to get arthritis, she's just yanking your chain. There is no scientific evidence that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis. However, it can't be good to repeatedly push a joint beyond its normal physical range. Besides that, it's annoying. Cracking your knuckles can cause a decrease in your grip but unless you're signing any multi-million dollar contracts as a pitcher, it's not worth giving up. But it's still annoying.
298856
I would say no.  ;-)  You're talking about nervous fidgeting, right?  I'm not sure why anyone would think that's dangerous.
1147336
GOOD FOR THE BRAIN... BAD FOR THE FINGERS... \nLOLZ :) J/K .. YOU'RE OK'D.
766937
I think the biggest thing is it bothers other people.  Health wise, I don't know.  I've been cracking my knuckles for as long as I can remember, and I've never had any problems.
1092931
Yes it is bad for you. You could develop arthritis in those joints that are over works later in life.
47320
My orthopedic doctor told me that it does not cause arthritis, that it is just removing air pockets. (as stated below). However, speaking as a 50 year old knuckle cracker, I have to surmise that the pain in my fingers isn't just *air pockets*.  I suspect that it is for the most part harmless, but over time, does cause some damage.
111682
ah!  such a great question.\n\nThe threats that your mother gave you (that cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis, will cause enlarged joints, will cause numbness) are all not true.  An article by Swezey and Swezey way back in 1975 disproved the knuckle-cracking-and-arthritis threat.\n\nHowever, it is not completely safe. First, there are case reports of acute injury to the hands and of knuckle pads associated with cracking, but these are only case reports.  The better studies show a couple of things:  The amount of force needed to crack a knuckle is greater than that needed to damage articular cartilage, and knuckle cracking HAS been associated with decreased grip strength when you get older.  \n\nSo, if you get arthritis, it's not because you cracked your knuckles.  If you can't grasp things very hard, it probably is.