Talk:Cracking joints

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[edit] Knuckle joint

Which is the knuckle joint? In my dialect, all metatarsophalangeal, metacarpophalangeal, and interphalangeal joints are knuckles.

I'm pretty sure the knuckle in this context is the second joint down from the tip of the finger, as in "knuckle sandwich" Ortolan88
Dictionary.com: "The prominence of the dorsal aspect of a joint of a finger, especially of one of the joints connecting the fingers to the hand."
Quincy 18:27, 30 Aug 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Renaming

Should we change this to "cracking joints"? I came to this page looking for information after cracking my jaw. Toes, spine, hips - many more joints are cracked than the knuckles. Alvis 02:52, 29 Mar 2005 (UTC)

No. I say no because people won't search for cracking joints they will search for cracking knuckles. User:Anonymous
You could change the name and have searches for "cracking knuckles" redirected. Jimp 7Jun05
Someone should definitely do that. I'd do that if I knew how, so someone please do. --Anonymous
Done Sr.Wombat 01:51, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Recent News

I have recently heard that cracking your knuckles may be beneficial to your body, or at the very least the idea of it causing arthritis is redicoulus. It says that the cracking of the knuckles keeps the joints active. -Unknown 17:01, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

I know that when I feel a joint stiffening (not sure why that happens, I just can't move a joint as far as I want), cracking it relieves the pressure and I instantly regain its range of movement. -BlackTerror 04:06, 3 September 2006 (UTC)api

I know that cracking my knuckles when I play the piano helps me play more rapidly.151.205.97.185J.Liu

But WP needs citations, not original research by editors. Alvis 08:51, 18 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Endorphins

I read an article (http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/5jcl/5JCL59.htm) that said that cracking knucles releases endorphins. Of course, no sources were cited. Why would anyone do a thing like that? But as the article said, it's possible that those who crack their knuckles over a long period of time, at least in the hands, might notice a swelling of the joints in their fingers. As a person who had done this her entire life up to this point, looking at my hands, I would tend to agree. It's possible, however, that this might not apply to everyone.

[edit] Chalk this up to original research if you must, but

Isn't it more likely that joint-cracking is the -symptom- of a condition rather than -causing- one? It'd explain any eventual correlation to any joint problems... People who crack joints _feel the need to_ and if you don't do it when you need to, they'll crack later on and much more painfully when you didn't expect it..

It certainly seems possible, but that's something for research to look at. Right now, that would be little more than speculation, and definitely not something for an encyclopedia.Ricree101 01:58, 21 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Community

To overcome the uncertainty on joint cracking a community was formed at http://www.jointcrackers.com. Join today and share your experiences. --STGM 16:19, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] adding howstuffworks.com page

The people at Howstuffworks.com have been known to be pretty accurate in their claims. I'm adding a link to thier explanation at the bottom of the page. Teimu.tm 01:14, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

  • In this case, I'm not sure that the Howstuffworks.com page is a good reference for the in text citation. They reference Raymond Brodeur's study on knuckle cracking, which seems to be the following article:

    Brodeur, Raymond. The Audible Release Associated with Joint Manipulation. Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics; Apr95, Vol. 18 Issue 4, p155, 10p

    However, if this is indeed the article, it is not the actual study. This article references the following two studies:

Swezey RL, Swezey SE. The consequences of habitual knuckle cracking. West J Med 1975; 122:377-9. Castellanos J, Axelrod D. Effect of habitual knuckle cracking on hand function. Ann Rheum Dis 1990; 49:308-9.

I haven't had a chance to read either yet, but it seems that the in text citation should be changed to whichever of these is more appropriate. The howstuffworks page might be appropriate for an external links spot, but since it is so far removed from the actual study I feel that it is inappropriate for the in text reference.Ricree101 21:53, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

  • I have added a citation needed tag in place of the howstuffworks reference. As I said before, I don't think that this page is an appropriate reference for the manner in which it was being used. That reference may have value for this page overall, which is why I only removed the link from that particular spot and left it in the reference section, but it is not appropriate to use it to reference a particular study. As I said before, the howstuffworks page is references a study which doesn't actually seem to have any original research of its own. If you want to discuss a specific study, it is much more approriate to reference papers that are directly regarding that study. We have a responsibility to provide as accurate of information as possible, and this can only be done if we are carefull about our sources. By using such an indirect source to discuss a scientific study, I feel that we are not upholding that responsibility.Ricree101 02:24, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Neck cracking

Does this information also relevant for neck cracking? It's not even mentioned here. . . I'm not sure, but I've linked neck cracking with hedaches in my case. --ComposerWannabe 17:10, 1 August 2006 (UTC)

Me too, but I think that is do to the rapid head movement--rather than the cracking. Of course sinse all of that is speculation it has no merit in the article. If someone would like to find out more on that and add it to the article that would be perfect.TrevorLSciAct 00:26, 26 September 2006 (UTC)
I went to a chiropractor a year ago, because of chronic migraines. My neck was indeed the problem, and it was because of my constant cracking it. It was two inches out of alignment, and the strain was terrible. I can assure you, I crack my neck rather slowly.64.91.86.129 09:17, 4 November 2006 (UTC)SeraphicMaster
Chiropractors are not doctors and are infamous for giving pseudo-diagnoses.--Nimnom (talk) 11:21, 17 November 2007 (UTC)

I might note that if you do it slowly aiding it with your hand it seems perfectly safe. Original research if you will, but it does wonders for me. Max (talk) 05:06, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] "palmarly"

Excuse me, but can anyone tell me what "palmarly" means? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 4.152.45.112 (talk • contribs) .

You can't figure it out from the first four letters? In this case it means "toward the palm". —Keenan Pepper 07:01, 30 September 2006 (UTC)
"Palmar direction" would be more suitable i believe. 203.15.35.100 12:59, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Spine

Can cracking the spine be considered "cracking a joint"? I can do that, it feels a bit weird but it releases tension. 195.50.204.99 23:06, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Yes, and this is what chiropractors, osteopaths and some physical therapists do when they use spinal manipulation. Davwillev 17:20, 13 June 2007 (UTC)
Yup, the spine is a series of articulated joints the way I think of it. Tyciol (talk) 00:03, 13 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Castellanos

"habitual knuckle crackers are more likely to have hand swelling and lower grip strength from Castellanos J., Axelrod D. "Effect of habitual knuckle cracking on hand function" in 'Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases' pg 49(5):308–9 published 1990.

Has anyone been able to check this source to see the nature of the study and its validity? Is it based on any theory or prolonged observation or diagnosis? The problem here is simply stating it like a fact seems anecdotal. However, stating something like this without a theory behind the observation gives an incomplete-sounding proposal. For example, the statement alone without explanation can give incorrect interpretations of causality. Do people with swelling become weak, and does swelling create more gas bubbles? Or is it that the cracking creates swelling and weakens the grip? Or could they mutually contribute to the other? I would like to know if the source cited for this statement is reliable and if its citation is complete, or if there were any hypotheses posited by the researchers to explain their observations. Knowing the quality of the study, the length and reliability would also be useful, and if there have been contrary or supplementary studies on this topic. Tyciol (talk) 00:03, 13 January 2008 (UTC)