Knuckle Cracking

[limegreen19]

I know, you're just cringing at the title *winces*

But I have a severe knuckle cracking problem. And I would like to stop if at all possible.

I have tried the elastic band thing, and lacing my fingers whenever I wanted to crack one. But it doesn't work. I just do it without thinking :x

Anybody have an idea?

[snooze]

My dad does that. Drives me up the wall.
But I don't know how you can stop.
Maybe wear stiff leather gloves?
A lot of rings?
Finger-splints?

[Sulis]

Whenever I try to break a bad habit, I find it usually works better for me to just transfer the habit over to something that's sort of similar, but not the same. So, when I wanted to bite my nails, I trained myself to tap my fingernails on my teeth. I now have a sort of strange habit, but long nails. You could find something to do that's similar to your knuckle cracking, but not the same. Maybe you could start wearing a lot of rings and you can rearrange them whenever you want to crack your knuckles, for instance.

[snooze]

Maybe you could start wearing a lot of rings and you can rearrange them whenever you want to crack your knuckles, for instance.

That's a good idea. It'd be fun. Like having an abacus on your hands.

[flutelet]

I wear rings. Didn't stop me. :(

I'd help, but I have the same problem. The only thing that I can't pop is my back... but I don't think some of the stuff I crack is, well, normal, so I need to stop as well. So I'm going to watch this thread and see if any of these solutions work for me!

[MichaelB]

Try doing something else with your hands... carry a pen and clipboard around all day. Not only will your hands be preoccupied with the objects, but you'll be more respected (Try it, it actually makes people get out of your way.)

[felixia]

carry a pen and clipboard around all day.

Or a notebook.

[snooze]

carry a pen and clipboard around all day.

Or a notebook.

*snickers*

I see what you did there...

[flutelet]

carry a pen and clipboard around all day.

Or a notebook.
I already do that! :wink:

[limegreen19]

Carry a notebook/clipboard around all day? Gym class? Just picture me attempting to play basketball and carry the clipboard at the same time. There, I made you laugh, didn't I?

No offense MichaelB, and thanks for the input. But I probably can't bring a clipboard around all day :)

Someone told me to snap my fingers instead, but what do you know, I can't snap. Darn.

[pkgirl]

i used to be a knuckle cracker and the thing that i found that helped me to stop, was to
pull my fingers out i will attempt to explain this phenomenon...

grab finger and pull to make the finger grow a little bit longer, and then release.
it is similar to crazking the knuckles but it doesnt affect the finger joints as much.

[Jenevieve]

I used to have a knuckle cracking problem. Then I told myself, that's really bad for you knuckles, so I decided not to do it anymore, and now I'm nearly cured. Unfortunately, that willpower doesn't translate over into my other bad habits...

What annoys me is when I'll move my wrist or my elbow or my ankle or something, and it just suddenly cracks on me without me wanting it to or anything. Most mornings when I'm walking down the stairs first thing, my ankle cracks on me. And my right wrist cracked just now. And I can't even do anything to stop it!

[jomaca]

People who carck their knuckles are said to be in danger of getting arthritis. So, hopefully that will help you stop.
I used to crack my knuckles a lot before but I've reduced it now :)

[limegreen19]

People who carck their knuckles are said to be in danger of getting arthritis. So, hopefully that will help you stop.


I'm aware of the risk of arthritis because it weakens your fingers. Unfortuantley it hasn't stopped me yet.

Also I have a certain pattern I crack my fingers in and my pinkies are slowly curving seeing as there's this way I crack them and it pushes them that way. So the replace with another habbit would be hard seeing as I'd have to incorparate that pattern :?

[theatre4life3333]

since I see you 6/7 days of the week, and sometimes even 7, I'll just hit/pinch/kick you whenever you start cracking your knuckles. :D

[jomaca]

I'll just hit/pinch/kick you whenever you start cracking your knuckles.

I think that's the best way! :D

[cat_lover_4113]

Okay, theatre4life3333, can you give us an update on how many times you've hit/pinched/kicked limegreen19? just for reference? :D

[limegreen19]

Tons of people do it to me. Usually I just pinch them back.

[merrihart]

I asked my chiropractor about this. He said it's ok to pull the fingers to crack them because your not grinding the cartlidge between bones. He had a special word for it which I cannot for the life of me remember.

[adelaidejane]

LOL.

merrihart, I just tried the pulling-the-fingers thing, and it worked fine. And then I automatically cracked my thumbs! Argh! I didn't even realise I'd done it until afterwards....

I'm a habit-prone person. My fingernails are really short and unhealthy, and I crack my knees a lot. Like, I'll lock my legs, then kinda twist round so that my upper legs move but my lower legs really don't, and it cracks my knees. I'm going to have mobility issues when I'm older, but yeah, I can't stop myself doing it.

I'm also a hair-puller-outter. It's mostly hair along my part-line though, so that's kinda a good preventative measure. I can't put my hair in pigtails or plaits or whatever anymore because I get these wispy bits sticking up. And I'm a hair-twiddler. And I'm thinking maybe it's a family thing, because when my niece sleeps, she twists her hair round her fingers, and it's been so bad on occasion that they've had to cut the knot so her finger can get loose again.

[merrihart]

hehe

I twist my hair too.

[pkgirl]

I have never been a hair twirler!!!! thats one thing that has never been an issue with me.

[Maulden]

I used to twirl my hair... well, back when it was long. :P

[mcnicks]

I find that I have to crack my knuckles and wrists when they go funny and start to ache a bit. Used to happen all of the time when I played the clarinet and it happens now when I write with a pen. I'd rather not do it, but its the only thing that helps...

[adelaidejane]

I find that I have to crack my knuckles and wrists when they go funny and start to ache a bit. Used to happen all of the time when I played the clarinet and it happens now when I write with a pen. I'd rather not do it, but its the only thing that helps...

Yes! Me! That! I find that after sitting at the computer for awhile - or just generally doing nothing - I have to kinda click my wrists and all is well with the universe again.

[Maulden]

I always crack my knuckles after doing a lot of typing. :P

[cat_lover_4113]

I used to suck my right thumb when I was young, and Dad said he'd come in at night when I was asleep and pull it out of my mouth but I'd just put it straight back in again! And now I have rabbit teeth and have braces. I don't mind though.

[Adapa]

I find that I have to crack my knuckles and wrists when they go funny and start to ache a bit. Used to happen all of the time when I played the clarinet and it happens now when I write with a pen. I'd rather not do it, but its the only thing that helps...

Yes! Me! That! I find that after sitting at the computer for awhile - or just generally doing nothing - I have to kinda click my wrists and all is well with the universe again.

Yeah, I'm a wrist-clicker :P And I click my big toe repeatedly as I go to sleep... no idea why.