Why do people 'crack' their knuckles?

[A.N.Other]

I do it because sometimes you can just feel the joint needs popping. Depending on what I'm doing, they start doing it themselves softly anyway, so I then just do them to stop it irritating me.

I can do my knuckles both ways and the large joints in my fingers. The equivalent joints will also go in my feet - so the toes and then inside the foot. My neck used to go but stopped when I started going to the gym, but I still have 5-6 vertebra in my back that go every morning.

 

[semi-pro waster]

Well I've been cracking my knuckles for over twenty years and my grip is silly strong! At one point I was shrugging 350 kilos and doing 400 kilo seated rows whilst cracking my knuckles daily.

Ah but if you hadn't you could have been gripping 700kg+.

I crack my knuckles from time to time, it's usually not even something I'm consciously trying to do but it feels like there's something not quite right and once they've been cracked it's all ok again. However the more unpleasant one, at least for other people, is that my neck cracks every so often - it doesn't hurt in the least but does tend to feel better once it's done.

 

[SuperTronNarwhal]

Badmens crack knuckles. I badmens,

 

[Anim]

Surely it's bad cracking your knuckles when stressed.... You might over crack and hurt yourself

Cant do it more than once in a few hours, after that i usually find myself playing with a coin or necklace or something to keep my fingers occupied

 

[arc@css]

I crack my fingers and big toes. Feels good Brah!

Cracking toes is bliss. I like to savour the moment and do it slowly. It's particularly enjoyable when cracking on different surfaces.

 

[^TANK^]

Ah but if you hadn't you could have been gripping 700kg+.

 

[Daze]

My uncle does it all the time, very bad for your joints as far as I know

 

[BananaDunka]

My uncle does it all the time, very bad for your joints as far as I know

As far as you know doesn't know much then?

 

[Wossi]

I can crack my fingers, wrists, elbows, neck, knees an feet. I've cracked my ribcage a couple of times by accident and that bloody hurts.

 

[tibbsey]

Spinal crack-age > knuckle crack-age.

If you're lucky whilst doing your spine your sternum might go as well.

 

[Zefan]

I'm definitely part of the "it's brilliant" crowd.

It's brilliant.

 

[Noel Gallagher]

Do it all time. With pretty much everything crackable in my body. And what.

 

[Garry1990]

My neck every morning its very very stiff if i dont, simply a case of looking up

 

[DJMK4]

Errrr I have decided I officially hate people doing this, goes right through me! Horrible sound. Just doesnt sound natural at all.

Especially when all 10 knuckles are clicking in one go.

Yuk

 

[godinman]

I like doing it. I'm too scared to try and do my back however, in case I paralyse myself.

 

[TrUz]

Cracking my neck in the morning in amazing!!!

Other things I crack are; fingers, wrist, chest (happened by accident one day when stretching), knees and ankles... Anything else is random.

 

[Aedus]

 

[Gilbert89]

Cannot stand people doing this, I give my girlfriend a good clip around the ear when she does it!

 

[BananaDunka]

One of these days she'll lump you in the face with those finely cracked knuckles!

 

[Mickie]

i do it as things just feel a bit stiff, kind of annoying when people complain.. as i dont think its that annoying to hear, more annoying than that is you complaining about something so trivial..

i crack my neck, knuckles, right knee, left ankle, right wrist and once my jaw which felt so bad, done by mistake