Is clicking you fingers harmful?

[Backslash777]

Valich, thank you for your kind words. In answer to your query of what is happening to your foot when you use the computer and it falls asleep, we can answer that for you. Avatar was correct with his reply but to go into greater detail, when pressure is exerted upon your leg while at the computer you are applying pressure to an arteries therefore starving you’re your tissues with fresh glucose / oxygen carrying blood. As well as compressed arteries you could also be blocking nerve pathways, reducing the signal strength to the brain.
When you reopen these pathways some nerves fire hyperactively causing something which should feel like a burning or prickling sensation referred to as pins and needles. This in turn then fires an instinctive response in mammals to shake the affected part therefore increasing blood flow and minimising damage.
Taking drugs to excess, especially sedatives such as alcohol or opiates causes organisms to remain still for excessive periods of time, especially while sleeping. This can cause a condition known as Radial Neuropathy (emergency room staff prefer to call this Saturday Night Palsy) where areas are deprived of essential nutrients for a long period of time. The result is either temporary or permanent nerve damage to the affected area.

 

[Fraggle Rocker]

The gas bubbles in the synovial fluid cause the tissue in the joints to swell. This reduces the flexibility of the joint and facilitates the progress of arthritis. Cracking knuckles (in the U.S. we call it "cracking" or sometimes "popping") keeps them more flexible, extends range of motion, and slows the advance of arthritis.

 

[thedevilsreject]

i also crack my knees and my big toes continously crack, is that harmful?

 

[Fraggle Rocker]

If they do it continuously it's something else. Gas bubbles in the synovial fluid pop and don't reappear for quite a while.

I can sometimes do that with one ankle, and sometimes with about six of the vertebrae in my neck. I don't know what it is but I've been doing it for decades and so far with no ill effects. I'll keep you posted.

 

[riffyraine]

i sometimes crack my fingers, around once every two days or so. and yes, sometimes my classmates find it unsightly of a girl to crack her fingers. I do it when i'm bored or stressed, and there are days that i don't experience those so i don't do it. sometimes my toes crack, but barely once a month.

fraggle, i find your ability of cracking your vertebra to be extremely intriguing, but if i were you i'd stop immediately. i know you haven't felt any bad effects, but who knows, it might affect your spinal chord or something. better safe than sorry.

 

[UltiTruth]

After a pop the gas should take half an hour to re-dissolve again so, until this happens, you will not be able to repeat the noise in that joint no matter how hard you try!

I can get a click in my toes every 5 minutes; and only at night!

 

[UltiTruth]

fraggle, i find your ability of cracking your vertebra to be extremely intriguing, but if i were you i'd stop immediately. i know you haven't felt any bad effects, but who knows, it might affect your spinal chord or something. better safe than sorry.

Or is it what is keeping him/her ticking?!

 

[john smith]

I'm forever trying to find different ways to 'click' or 'crunch' my back, often because it aches, and the clicking seems to help...dunno if it does tho....

 

[thedevilsreject]

I'm forever trying to find different ways to 'click' or 'crunch' my back, often because it aches, and the clicking seems to help...dunno if it does tho....

make sure that you dont slip a disc then

 

[Hapsburg]

Is clicking your finger (or any other) joints harmful?

How do you click a joint? If you mean popping one's knuckes, then...well, it probably has no real effect.

 

[G. F. Schleebenhorst]

I can "click" my sternum.

 

[valich]

Valich, thank you for your kind words. In answer to your query of what is happening to your foot when you use the computer and it falls asleep, we can answer that for you. Avatar was correct with his reply but to go into greater detail, when pressure is exerted upon your leg while at the computer you are applying pressure to an arteries therefore starving you’re your tissues with fresh glucose / oxygen carrying blood. As well as compressed arteries you could also be blocking nerve pathways, reducing the signal strength to the brain.
When you reopen these pathways some nerves fire hyperactively causing something which should feel like a burning or prickling sensation referred to as pins and needles. This in turn then fires an instinctive response in mammals to shake the affected part therefore increasing blood flow and minimising damage.
Taking drugs to excess, especially sedatives such as alcohol or opiates causes organisms to remain still for excessive periods of time, especially while sleeping. This can cause a condition known as Radial Neuropathy (emergency room staff prefer to call this Saturday Night Palsy) where areas are deprived of essential nutrients for a long period of time. The result is either temporary or permanent nerve damage to the affected area.

Wow! What an articulate, insightful indepth response! Thanks a lot Backslash! This explains a lot! Especially your analyses that then "the nerves fire hyperactively" causing a feeling like a burning or prickling or pins and needles. This gives me a lot to think about in reference to the nerve pain that I suffer in my arm, which is basically the same thing only much more intense. It has to be due to a "hyperactive" firing from the lacerated (avulsed) nerves inside my spine that now have nowhere else to go? I have to think about this one. Thanks a lot!

 

[tedxenos]

in addition to valich

I was just searching and found this thread and immediatly signed up..

In addition to Backlash's previous response about feet falling asleep he is also correct. You do cut off the blood supply and pinch nerves creating a neuropathy. Is situations where your hand falls asleep you can actually shake your head from left to right (put your left ear to your left shoulder then right ear to right shoulder). A few shakes back and forth should aleviate symptoms. If this does not happen you should consult a neurologist, general practitioner, physical therapist, or a doctor of Chiropractic. For feet there are several major nerves that supply the lower body that actually run in the area where you sit. and supply the back of your legs and feet. Prolonged sitting can lead to damage. Most can tolerate it for up to 5 hours (a long car ride). Veins that bring blood back to the heart need muscles that surround them to push blood up from the lower limbs. When your foot falls asleep moving it up and down causes the major muscles around veins to push blood back to the heart. This should also aleviate symptoms.


Joint cavitation is the "cracking". It occurs in joint spaces just like valich said. It has not been proven to lead to arthritis. That story started when the medical society tried to knock down Chiropractors in the past for moving in on thier territory when they were just providing a different service.

Each bone that meets another bone has a fibers that attach directly to the bones and create a capsule where Synovial fluid provides a lubricant so that bones can slide past one another. The same way you swish around a cup of water and bubbles form the same occurs here. Since gasses take up more space than liquids the pressure increases. The rapid increase in space between the two bones allows for a rapid joining of these bubbles some say at the speed of sound. Just like when you slap water together and get a noise. If you feel pain and then relif after cavitating your joints it is because the pressure has built up to push on small nerves that surround these joints. The release allows for immediate relief and closing of these receptors. If there is no relief then the problem could be deeper than just the joint and capsule.

The only problem that could occur in a situation like this is inappropriate action. Excesive pulling on these joints with too much strength can cause a tear in these fibers that form your capsule. Nothing too serious but repeating this over long periods of time without allowing the joint to heal back up from even microsopic tears can lead to decreased strength and further damage.
The best way is to take your joint bring it to the end point were you think it shouldn't pass and it feels like it wont and then quickly pull with a small amount of force the speed is key. Cavitating joints should not be done slowly becasue that's when the pressure becomes detrimental. The same can be done with bones in the spine of your back, especially the lower back and around the neck. Chiropractors have a greater knowledge of this than i do and they would be the best ones to consult on further explinations. And trust me they are awsome at fixing back pain and helped me out emensly.

Good luck to all of you and for a small $30 in some states you can see a Chiropractor and aleviate your back, shoulder, neck, and limb pain.

 

[XcitingStuart]

Clicking Fingers

I have to click my fingers or they'll go into an awkward pain, but I really want to stop or in some cases, lead to early arthuritus. Expeccially my right thumb, it clicks non-stop throughout the day. Please can someone give me some advise, email me at stuartmcgavin@rocketmail.com. Thank-You :shrug::