Cracking knuckles: Reasons, Effects, Why Do People Do It?

a women cracking their knuckles

Cracking knuckles is not harmful, is similar to the popping sound that comes from the knees, when you get up, and squat.

At previous times, cracking joints, are popping knees were believed that signs of arthritis and other bone health issues.

The reason behind the cracking sound is gas bubbles (nitrogen gas), which suddenly burst inside the joints, making a popping sound.

If cracking noise happens with pain, swelling, and redness in the knee and other joints, then it is pathological noise (1) (2)

In most cases, this clinking sound hasn’t created any problem which is called physiological and it is not an early sign of bone disease.

There is one other clicking sound which is – Pathological noise divided into acute and chronic.

Acute – Acute onset of noise with pain may be caused by meniscal (a C-shape) or ligament (a fiber connecting tissue that attaches bone to bone) injury.

Chronic – this type of noise can increase gradually (3) (4).

Reason for cracking knuckles and popping sound

This sound occurs when tiny air bubbles accumulate within the fluid inside the finger or knee joints.

When bubbles burst inside the joint due to changes in pressure, which creates a popping sound, it happens when we move or get up.

There are other several reasons for cracking knuckles and popping sound are include:

  • Movement of Ligaments or Tendons
  • air bubbles
  • arthritis (pain, swelling with cracking joints occur)
  • injury
  • surgery

However, it naturally occurs in knee joints, but the bursting process is the same.

This process will remain for a period of time which is known as the refractory period, after cracking joints, it takes time to be re-cracked.

Cracking the same sound as previously takes 20 minutes. where bubbles dissolve again into the fluid and will be able to form again (5)

Check Out – 5 Reasons Why Do Your Knees click? What Can I Do About It?

Do Cracked Knuckles Mean You’re Deficient in Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a vital nutrient for bone health, that why several studies showed that vitamin D deficiency can cause joint and muscle pain.

Studies have shown that knees and joint cracking are sometimes caused by vitamin D, calcium, and dehydration.

Toronto-based family medicine practitioner said that vitamin D deficiency could be seen in a person’s nails (7)

But lack of vitamin D in the body can cause loss of bone density, which may contribute to arthritis, (arthritis can cause cracking knuckles in some people)

Sunlight is the best source to full fill vitamin D, and 30 to 40 min of sunlight exposure is enough for Indian skin type.

However, certain foods also rich in vitamin D include – fish (salmon, tuna) red meat, egg yolk, and mushrooms.

If you live in low sunlight countries like Norway, and Alaska, then vitamin D supplements and food are excellent sources of it.

What About – Cracking knuckles In Your Sleep

During sleep, people also do cracking knuckles, the person didn’t know why would they do it.

Some of us do different things while asleep, and cracking knuckles is a similar action. But it is not a concerning matter.

A study result showed that Sodium oxybate may increase the chance of cracking knuckles.

It also has been allied with sleep talking, cracking knuckles, sleep-related eating disorders, and sleepwalking (6)

Sodium oxybate is used for the treatment of excessive sleepiness and cataplexy (a sudden loss in muscle control) in adult patients.

In addition, In the medical field popping, snapping, cracking, grinding, grating, clunking, and clicking is called crepitus.

Side Effect of Habitual knuckle Cracking

A variety of habitual behavior is known to affect health adversely, and knuckle cracking is a common habit, which is seen a lot.

Habitual knuckle cracking is a more likely chance of hand swelling and lower grip strength.

Cracking knuckles leads to a rapid increase in intrasynovial tension, which results in synovial fluid cavitation.

which causes acute division of the joint and collapse of the vapor phase of the formed cavity.

Also, a study has shown that habitual cracking, results in functional hand impairment (7)

Frequent knuckle cracking was allied with manual labor include – smoking, biting nails, and drinking
alcohol.

Are There Any Links B/W – Arthritis and Cracking knuckles

A Study suggests that habitual knuckle cracking does not associate with osteoarthrosis of the hand, but may relate to decreased hand function.

Therefore, habitual knuckle cracking should be avoided, because it may cause functional hand impairment.

Cracking sounds (whether it is a knee or knuckles sound) with a history of an injury, may indicate OA and inflammation arthritis (8) (9)

The study, the conclusion showed that knuckle cracking can not cause arthritis, no matter how habitual, or how many years (10).

In addition, Osteoarthritis is the most common kind of arthritis, it mostly occurs in mid-aged and older people (11)

Check out this evidence – a medical doctor called Donald Unger clicked his knuckles for more than 60 years only his left hand.

The result showed no arthritis and other bone issues formed in both hands, and he was awarded in 2009 Ig Nobel prize.

Why Some People Can’t Crack Their knuckles?

You may see that some people easily crack their back, knuckles, and head, but others can’t, but why?

I am one of them, and for me, cracking knuckles is very painful along with laughing. but is this the correct answer?

See – not everyone can create this popping sound because the space between their knuckles is too large for a popping sound. said Barakat.

Why Do People Love To Do It?

There are several reasons why people love to crack their knuckles. which include:

Sound – Some people love to hear a cracking sound, which over time becomes a habit.

Relief nervousness – just like biting nails, drinking alcohol, and smoking, make a person relief, as the same cracking knuckles do the same.

Habit – Once you start cracking, the first time it’s painful, but over time while doing work, did cracking without even thinking about it.

Over time, this becomes a habit, it feels incomplete when you stopped doing it.

How To Stop Cracking knuckles?

Over time these cracking knuckles become a habit, which should be avoided to prevent any underlying issues.

Here are some ways to stop cracking knuckles include:

  • If you click knuckles due to your stress, then find other healthy habits to relieve stress, like meditation, yoga, and exercise.
  • become aware of the time when are you going to crack knuckles and stop yourself, by distracting your mind.

If the cracking sound comes with pain, when you move, squad, then you should consult the doctor, it may be a warning sign of a bone issue.

Down Line

The concept is – when bubbles burst – a popping sound comes, this bubble bursting is called cavitation.

Also, you cannot click the same amount of cracking continuously because gas formation takes 20 minutes.

If this cracking sound occurs when you just close or open your palm, then you should consult the doctor.

Healthytalk8

Hello, I'm Sahil bisht, I am a Mechanical engineer, As well as, aspiring blogger with an obsession for health. This blog delicate to people who want to learn in health.

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