# Help Me Stop Cracking My Knuckles **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 6, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285 "2003-08-06T06:04:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StanDup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StanDup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanDup)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/1 "2003-08-06T06:04:57Z")
I always crack my knuckles. There is something about it that I can’t resist. Maybe it’s the satisfying sound it gives off, or maybe the fact that my mom hates when I do it. Recently, my knuckle-cracking habit has gotten worse, and is really starting to irritate people. And now, my knuckles hurt, and my hands sometimes shake. So how can I quit? ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/2 "2003-08-06T06:16:07Z")
I don’t know how to quit, but I crack my knuckles, neck, toes, and ankles all the time. ---
**Author:** ![StanDup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StanDup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanDup)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/3 "2003-08-06T06:19:01Z")
Same here, except the ankles. Oh, and I crack my back too. ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/4 "2003-08-06T06:25:56Z")
Same way. I crack everything that can crack. Occasionally my finger joints hurt from it. I’ve got no strategy for quiting…actually, I don’t think you should quit at all. Just cut back. Treat knuckle cracking like a treat, or only do it when you’re alone, or maybe right when you get up/before you go to bed as a reward. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/5 "2003-08-06T07:00:34Z")
Yeah, I crack my back, too. And thumbs. Some people can’t crack their thumbs, but I can. I don’t know if that’s good or not. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/6 "2003-08-06T11:23:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mudshark \* > \*\*I don’t know how to quit, but I crack my knuckles, neck, toes, and ankles all the time. \*\* I’ll add back, knees, elbows and my most recent discovery was my jaw (though it’s not the typical crack, more like a readjustment ‘click’ of somesort). Thumbs too. Whilst I haven’t stopped cracking completely, I don’t do it as often now as I did a few years back. There’s a quote that goes something like, “habit is overcome by habit.” So although it may be hard (in my case it was unbelievably fucking excruciatingly difficult) just try and resist the urge to crack em. Or just chop 'yer hands off. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/7 "2003-08-06T11:54:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by green\_bladder \* > \*\*I’ll add back, knees, elbows and my most recent discovery was my jaw (though it’s not the typical crack, more like a readjustment ‘click’ of somesort). Thumbs too. > \*\* Ok, that one is bad. I can do that to, and get the sound you describe. I asked my mum’s face surgeon about it when she (the surgeon) was taking out my wisdom teeth and she said that it’s the sound of your jaw bone scraping your skull. It’s not healthy because it chips the bone. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/8 "2003-08-06T14:36:31Z")
Oh…shit. I had a feeling it could be unhealthy due to the acute pain that would proceed the click. But I just kept thinking all the joys of life came with a price ;). Thanks for the warning, **Silentgoldfish**. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/9 "2003-08-06T14:40:49Z")
Can any guys here crack their ummm… little guy? I can but only when he’s at attention. ---
**Author:** ![yoyo3500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/5daacb/32.png) [@yoyo3500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyo3500)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/10 "2003-08-06T16:32:18Z")
You can stop the habit of cracking your knuckles with a some duct tape… ---
**Author:** ![yoyo3500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/5daacb/32.png) [@yoyo3500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyo3500)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/11 "2003-08-06T16:35:04Z")
Has anyone gotten any SPAM for this? STOP CRACKING YOUR KNUCKLES NOW! Click on this link and we’ll think about taking you off of some our hundreds of lists we’ve put you own of your own volition, but you won’t remember exactly when you requested to be sucked into our friendly network. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/12 "2003-08-06T16:39:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Amp \* > \*\*Can any guys here crack their ummm… little guy? I can but only when he’s at attention. \*\* There are no knuckles in your “little guy” so whatever sound you’re hearing can’t be good. For the love of God, stop it man! ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/13 "2003-08-06T16:44:09Z")
You want to stop cracking your knuckles? [This](http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/rzepa/mim/drugs/gifs/arthritis.jpg) is what happen’s if you don’t. Stare nice and hard and let it sink in… ---
**Author:** ![yoyo3500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/5daacb/32.png) [@yoyo3500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyo3500)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/14 "2003-08-06T16:47:58Z")
Does cracking your knuckles _really_ give you arthritis? Or is this just a way to scare people away from cracking their knuckles? Hmmm. Sounds like a question for the GQ. Or maybe even GD! ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/15 "2003-08-06T17:35:59Z")
The way I understand it when you crack your knuckles you are damaging the little sac’s that are inbetween the knuckles. Eventually, you’ll form a type of arthritis. IIRC. otherwise I’m talking out my rear. ---
**Author:** ![Teegus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Teegus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teegus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/16 "2003-08-06T17:51:45Z")
I crack my knuckles, toes, ankles, back, neck and jaw. Hell, I compulsively cracked my knuckles whilest(sp?) typing this reply. I also can crack my sternum. Audibly. I have witnesses.:eek: I also have witnesses. They were quite weirded out by it. 😃 Somehow I don’t think that’s healthy… ---
**Author:** ![yoyo3500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/5daacb/32.png) [@yoyo3500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyo3500)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/17 "2003-08-06T18:18:02Z")
[Which IIRC](http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?String=exact&Acronym=iirc) exactly was meant? And what comes out your rear is your business. Too much information for the rest of us… ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/18 "2003-08-06T18:38:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mudshark \* > \*\*Yeah, I crack my back, too. And thumbs. Some people can’t crack their thumbs, but I can. I don’t know if that’s good or not. \*\* Probably not good, but I also crack my thumbs. And my shoulders (VERY loud noise). Also my toes, wrists, back, and neck - damn, I’m starting to feel obsessive/compulsive. ---
**Author:** ![Tyler\_Do\_Urden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tyler\_Do\_Urden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyler_Do_Urden)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/19 "2003-08-06T19:01:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Phlosphr \* > \*\*The way I understand it when you crack your knuckles you are damaging the little sac’s that are inbetween the knuckles. Eventually, you’ll form a type of arthritis. IIRC. > otherwise I’m talking out my rear. \*\* So that’s why it smells funny in here! The arthritis is a myth, made up by sqeamish people. > **[Urban Legends Store](https://shop.urbanlegends.com)** > > Shop exclusive music from the Official Urban Legends Store. So go ahead, don’t quit, crack all you want. I do. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285/20 "2003-08-07T06:12:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Amp \* > \*\*Can any guys here crack their ummm… little guy? I can but only when he’s at attention. \*\* Same here, but not that often. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-stop-cracking-my-knuckles/193285.md?page=2)