Knuckle-Cracking.

I was curious when I saw an article on knuckle-cracking. I used to do it when I was a child ... to horrify usually. I grew out of it fast and don't like the sensation. Then I moved to Turkey ... a country of knuckle-crackers. I remember Kagan's delight over my horrified response to his knuckle-cracking ...

They write: We are not entirely sure what causes that noise, but most of us believe that the sound is elicited from small gas bubbles popping or bursting when under pressure. As you know some find it very easy to repetitively create the sound, and some even get addicted to doing this. While it may be annoying to those around us, and of great concern to many parents, most orthopedic surgeons believe that there is no harm in cracking your knuckles. I believe that an occasional knuckle crack is fine and can be combined with some simple stretches. I do not however suggest that you do this all day long especially if you are already hypermobile or loose jointed.