Cracking your fingers has become a habit for many people throughout life. In situations of stress or nerves, they choose to carry out this practice to channel it. Some also do it to feel the need to release their joints in their feet and hands in some way, without thinking about the possible consequences it may have on their body. And, despite the fact that it is an increasingly widespread practice at a social level, many people continue to disapprove of the act of cracking their fingers because they find it unpleasant. But what effects does it have on health?
To find out if it’s bad to crack your fingers , why they crack and if it can cause arthritis, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this article.
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Why do you crack your fingers?
All joints in the human body are joined by a type of capsule that contains synovial fluid and gases. This capsule is responsible for lubricating all the joints, allowing them to function normally in each movement. In this way, they avoid the production of friction and wear on the bones.
Likewise, when the fingers snap, there is an increase in the space between the bony pieces of all the joints. In this way, the capsule with synovial fluid and gases dilates, reducing the solubility and pressure of the gases inside the capsule itself. Thus, an explosion of the gas pockets inside the capsule with synovial fluid occurs, generating the sound of crunching fingers. We point out that the gases inside the capsule disappear for a few minutes, which is why it is so complicated to crack the joints twice in a row. When you crunch your fingers, the surrounding tendons and nerves change their position and are sometimes forced by the effect of the pressure exerted by one hand on the other.
Is cracking your fingers bad or not?
Is it good to crack your fingers? The answer is no, it is not good if it is repeated frequently . Snapping your fingers has a series of negative effects, such as: joint wear and injury to tendon and ligament structures . Therefore, cracking the bones is detrimental to joint health as long as it occurs very frequently. Although, in some cases, it can even be a good thing that the joints of the fingers and other parts of the body creak. This is possible if you go to a professional who helps you improve mobilitybody and relieve pressure. Why is it good in this context? The professional will know how to reposition your body so that it can function normally again and without any pain. In addition, this professional will obtain enough information to determine if there is inflammation in the part of the body that does not stop creaking, helping you find the best solution. That is why, except when you go to a health and human body professional, you should avoid the practice of frequent finger crunching so as not to risk joint problems in the future.
If you want to know how to strengthen your joints to enjoy a more active and strong body, don’t miss this OneHOWTO article. Health is essential!
Does cracking your fingers cause arthritis?
As Sanitas points out (1) , there is no scientific evidence that crunching the fingers causes arthritis . In this sense, the health risks are minimal, but it can trigger other problems such as the appearance of injuries to the structures of the ligaments and tendons or significant wear of the joints. In any case, if you feel the need to crack your fingers to feel satisfaction or relief from the snap, it is probably due to some previous problem. This desire to force the position of the joints of the fingers and toes can be avoided or reduced by seeing a specialist.
Obviously, as we have mentioned, it is bad to crack your fingers, since it is also a practice that can be related to a situation of anxiety or nerves, and even to a tic of nervous origin. If this is your case, you should take action, since the feeling of well-being when you crack your knuckles is common, but it is essential to learn to channel and control anxiety.
To take control in situations of nerves or anxiety and avoid falling into the practice of finger crunching, you can resort to other types of healthy relief. At OneHOWTO we offer you different relaxation exercises to combat anxiety that will help you regain the calm you need, they will also relieve the tension you feel in any circumstance without the need to force the position of the fingers with the consequent snapping. Give up the habit of cracking your fingers so as not to put your joint , ligament and tendon health at risk in the long term!
This article is merely informative, at oneHOWTO we do not have the power to prescribe any medical treatment or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to go to a doctor in the event of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
