Habit: What’s that sound? It’s someone’s knuckles getting a deliberate workout. The ear hears what seems to be cracking. But there’s no real cracking involved. The sound is associated with the release of gases, says Dr. Steven Beldner, an orthopedic surgeon in New York City with a specialty in treating hand, wrist and elbow disorders. Many knuckle-crackers say the activity relieves stress and feels as good as taking a nice short stretch.
Here’s what happens: The joint capsule—it’s the covering of the knuckle joint—contains synovial fluid, which keeps the joint lubricated and nourished. This fluid also contains dissolved gases, including oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
Pressing the knuckle in a certain way reduces the pressure inside the joint capsule, says Beldner, who’s also an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. This creates the popping sound associated with the sudden escape of the dissolved gases. He likens the action to a cork popping out of a champagne bottle.
Damage: Despite the foreboding sound, the damage that comes from knuckle-cracking is generally the irritation it causes friends and family, Beldner says. Habitual knuckle-crackers do it as many as 200 times a day, waiting long enough in between cracks for the gases to redistribute, he says. Research has shown the activity does not significantly increase the risk for arthritis over time.
Some children’s avid knuckle-cracking alarms their parents. The good news is that kids tend to grow out of it. For adults whose marriage or jobs are at stake because of their habit, which they’re unable to control on their own, Beldner suggests they see a behavior-modification therapist.
Posted in: America’s Top 8 Nervous Habits
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