Should you stop cracking your knuckles?

(bbc.com)

16 points | by tchalla 4 hours ago

6 comments

  • ElijahLynn 50 minutes ago
    This is good to read about, and nice that it has and research referenced.

    It's interesting to know that it's gas collapsing. And nothing to do with the bone rubbing.

    And it makes you wonder what chiropractors are actually doing when they're popping your back... It's probably not doing anything to help you with your pain. And it's probably not actually adjusting anything.

    • PaulDavisThe1st 22 minutes ago
      I recommend reading up on the actual history of chiropractic ... I've seen articles that seem to make it clear that it was long con right from the start.

      I acknowledge that this is not the only view on the history.

      • bena 12 minutes ago
        “You have a fever because of the ghosts in your bones”
    • selectodude 34 minutes ago
      If a chiropractor could adjust something by pushing on your bone, imagine what tripping and falling would do.
      • BenjiWiebe 11 minutes ago
        Tripping and falling can mess you up for a long time. And I don't mean broken bones.
    • LeoPanthera 18 minutes ago
      It's surprising that it's not common knowledge that "Chiropractic" is not medicine, nor a science, and the field is associated with vaccine misinformation and unproven supplements.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiropractic

  • eth0up 19 minutes ago
    Bruce Lee cracked his knuckles a lot, and he died in his 30s. He was in great shape too.

    But I think it's mostly just escaping gases.

    Edit: ^ is my way of asking why this is on HN, which I never do, cause then someone could ask the same about me.

  • analog31 49 minutes ago
    Not in my house. It's annoying.
    • anigbrowl 39 minutes ago
      I have bad news for you about what happens your joints as you get older
  • abstractspoon 31 minutes ago
    Betteridge says?
  • dgritsko 54 minutes ago
    TL,DR: No, unless you're doing it so hard that you're straining your joints. But don't crack your neck.
    • ranger_danger 46 minutes ago
      > don't crack your neck

      The article makes a point to mention specifically that excessive/forceful neck cracking can be dangerous, but then switches to just "Cracking your own neck is not recommended"... but to me it sounds like they're referring more to the forceful kind, such as the manipulations on youtube they reference.

      I suppose it's like asking people to stop using q-tips... they're probably not going to, and the amount of people accidentally injured from either seems to be quite low.

      • s1artibartfast 7 minutes ago
        Yeah, and with the q-tips, it seems trival to do it safely. For some reason, be aware or careful always gets compressed to avoidance