Q&A for How to Stop Cracking Your Knuckles

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What is the worst outcome of cracking my knuckles? Will it affect my future?

Community Answer

The worst outcome of knuckle cracking is swelling of the tissue. Yes, it may affect your future health because you might hurt your fingers and have pain if you continue.

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Question

Is there a way to make the swollen fingers go away?

Community Answer

Avoid cracking your knuckles, cut back on the salty foods, and drink plenty of water. Too much sodium in your diet can lead to excessive water retention, which can make your fingers appear swollen.

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Question

How long will it take for anything bad to happen?

Community Answer

It can take a couple of years to see consequences.

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How come my fingers get sore from cracking my knuckles?

Community Answer

When you crack your knuckles, you are stretching the joint in a way that it was not specifically designed to go. If you don't have flexible fingers, it may be straining your tendons, causing them to be sore.

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Question

Will my knuckles get damaged from too much cracking?

Community Answer

There is some evidence that many years of habitual knuckle cracking may reduce grip strength and lead to hand swelling. There is no evidence of any association with serious health conditions like arthritis.

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Question

How can I stop being addicted to cracking my knuckles?

Community Answer

Try to do something else with your hands, such as spinning a pencil through your fingers.

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Question

What are discipline ideas that can help me stop cracking my knuckles?

Community Answer

Each time you crack your knuckles, put a quarter in a jar. Once the jar is full, donate all the money to charity.

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Question

Will the elastic band work?

Community Answer

It depends. If you are a person who will react to punishment, yes. If you have found that you only react to rewards, carry small sweets around or something, and have one every hour you don't crack your knuckles.

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Question

Are there any benefits to cracking my knuckles?

Community Answer

No, there isn't any benefit. While you are cracking your knuckles, what you are doing is wasting your synovial fluid which is the responsible for you not feel pain when you are cracking your knuckles. In time, this synovial fluid will go, so your fingers will hurt when cracked.

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Question

Do my knuckles get bigger if I crack them?

Community Answer

No, there is no evidence that knuckle cracking causes joints to enlarge.

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Question

Are there any products that may help me stop cracking my toes or knuckles?

Community Answer

There aren't any products, but you can wear articles of clothing to cover your knuckles so you will be less likely to crack them.

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Question

How do kids stop?

Community Answer

Most of the methods in the article will work for people of any age. Read the article thoroughly and work through the methods until you find one that works for you.

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Question

Will my neck get damaged if I crack it too much?

Community Answer

It's not impossible, so try not to crack your neck excessively if you can avoid it.

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Question

Is there time when it's too late to consider rehabilitation from this habit?

Community Answer

It's never too late to consider breaking habits. The sooner you start, though, the sooner you will see results.

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Question

What do I do if my hands hurt after not cracking my knuckles?

Community Answer

Remember, keeping your hands busy is the best thing to do.

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Question

How do I stop cracking my toe knuckles?

Community Answer

Wearing close-toed shoes, or covering your feet in some way, is helpful.

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Question

What else can I do to stop cracking my knuckles?

Community Answer

Keep something in your hand or in your pocket at all times. Almost anything will work: fidget cubes, stress balls, rocks, coins,etc. Play with it whenever you have the urge to crack your knuckles.

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Question

If I have been cracking them for three years already, will there be consequences in the future?

Community Answer

No. There is no scientific evidence of a correlation between cracking knuckles and any physical issues.

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Question

What happens if I crack one joint a day?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

Nothing. Though there hasn't been much research into this, the general consensus is that nothing really happens when you crack your joints.

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Question

Where can I find professional help?

Community Answer

If you need professional help to stop this compulsive behavior, visit your doctor. They should be able to refer you to a mental health professional, most likely a behavioral specialist.

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Question

Why is my wrist red after doing the elastic band technique?

Community Answer

When you pull it up to snap on your wrist, the force of it snapping back can leave a mark. If snapping the elastic starts to hurt too much, it would probably be best to try another method, or not snapping the elastic as hard.

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Question

I usually crack my joints to stop them hurting. Is there something else I can do to ease the pain?

Community Answer

If you are having constant joint pain, you will want to see your doctor. You can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for the pain, but it won't help whatever is causing the pain in the first place.

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Question

Is cracking my knuckles okay?

Community Answer

Cracking your knuckles can cause joint discomfort and swelling.

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Question

How do I stop cracking my entire body?

Community Answer

Try some methods to stop bad habits, like putting coins in a jar each time you crack. Also, try keeping in mind that cracking is bad for you and can cause problems for you down the line.

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Question

If I stop cracking my knuckles, will it be harder to do it again?

Community Answer

No, but it may hurt a bit the first time you crack them in a long time.

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Question

Is there a medication that can be taken to help someone stop cracking their wrists and knuckles?

Community Answer

If your cracking is a symptom of a larger OCD disorder, there are medications that can help. However, if it's just a bad habit, medication will be ineffective and unnecessary.

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Question

How can I make my hands look perfect?

Community Answer

Use the lotion method to keep your hands looking perfect. Every time you go to crack your knuckles, rub lotion on them instead. Don't eat a lot of salty foods, as this can cause swelling.

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Question

My ankles crack when I walk and jump, and they get really sore. My doctor said it's normal, but I don't know; what should I do?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

Your doctor is right. Now stop worrying. Your doctor, who is a doctor, who has seen your ankles in real life, definitely knows better than anyone on the Internet. It never hurts to train your ankles. Get one of those ankle cushions that you can stand on while you brush your teeth. Or just do a lot of balancing exercises. That will strengthen your ankle's tendons, muscles and nerves.

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Question

Why can't I stop cracking my knuckles even though I put lotion on them?

Community Answer

Everybody's different. If the lotion method doesn't work for you, try another method.

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Question

My fingers feel really tense when I don't crack them. How do I get rid of the tense finger joints that urge me to crack my fingers?

Community Answer

Hold your hands together really tightly for a while.

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