There are so many reasons to crack your fingers: relieve tension in your fingers, keep your hands busy, annoy those around you, and possibly even drive them crazy - all valid, valid reasons. How do you do it though? Let's count the ways (hint: there are a bunch of them).
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Gripping, Pressing, Rotating and Cracking
Step 1. Squeeze your fingers together
Think about how a dice is held while playing dice. This is the first step in warming your fingers.
Step 2. Suddenly straighten your fingers and press lightly on each knuckle
The latter should be the easiest to crack, but the former can crack too. That pressure, that force, should cause an immediate crack.
Sometimes the fingers refuse to crack. If your finger starts to hurt and there is no pop!, go to the next finger
Step 3. Another way is to clench the fist in one hand first
Then, wrap it with the other hand and press. This way you can do a whole row of fingers in one go.
You can also rotate your hand and then push down on the upper knuckles. It can take a while to get used to, and it might hurt at first
Step 4. Or do it one finger at a time
Clench your fist like in the other methods, but then focus on one finger. You may be able to hear a clearer sound by applying all the pressure on one finger.
With the thumb of the other hand on the finger you want to crack, hold the hand you want to crack with the other hand. Press one finger at a time with the thumb or top of the finger or near the tip of the finger to crack the top
Step 5. Try cracking your fingers without clenching your fist
Rather, join your hands together as if you were clapping or praying. The fingers and palms should touch, mirror-like. Press them together with increasing force, moving the palms upwards, until you feel the fingers crack.
You may have to rotate your hands a little. The middle and ring fingers should crack immediately, but with a slight rotation you can focus on the index and little fingers
Step 6. Try to crack your fingers by twisting them
There are 2 ways to do this:
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Take one hand and wrap it around the finger you want to crack. Then swing that hand while holding your finger still. It takes some time to perfect this technique, but you can make it crack properly.
You can also do this with the upper joints; you just have to grab higher
- Grab the top of the knuckles with the opposite hand and twist it. Basically, instead of rotating the cracking hand, you rotate the other.
Step 7. Try cracking your fingers without even touching them
Stiffen your fingers and slowly try to bend them forward; if the knuckles are particularly "lively", it can work. However, for many it remains an unattainable dream.
Even fewer people are able to crack the same finger right after doing it the first time. This may not be the case for you, but if you are having trouble, let 5-10 minutes pass and try again
Part 2 of 2: Understanding Your Fingers
Step 1. Understand how your fingers snap
The noise is thought to be produced by air bubbles that explode in the liquid inside the joints as you move them. Depending on the different joint sizes in different people, some may make more noise than others, and some people will not be able to crack their fingers at all. What can you do? Even the first and the last?
All our joints (where the bones meet and are connected by tendons and ligaments) are surrounded by synovial fluid. By extending your finger, you create an increase in volume which, in turn, precipitates the pressure. In this way the gases begin to dissolve, forming bubbles. Those are the bubbles bursting in your fingers; it is a process known as "cavitation"
Step 2. Wait at least 15 minutes between one click and the next
Once you have cracked your fingers, it will take a while for the bubbles to dissolve back into the synovial fluid. This prevents you from constantly cracking them - but the liquid should be ready in about 10-15 minutes. Try timing yours!
Step 3. Find out the effects
Your mom has probably told you that cracking your fingers will give you arthritis or some other bad hand disease. It is true? Well, probably not. Various studies have been completed and none have established definitive outcomes. It is largely an urban legend.
Some say yes, it can cause joint pain, while others claim there is no connection. And then there is the fact that those who crack their fingers may already have pain, so how is it possible to understand? But as with many other things, avoid overdoing it, just to be sure
Advice
- You could try another method which involves moving your fingers back and forth for a long time or typing on a keyboard - basically, moving your fingers - and then pulling them all together. For this method, pull hard.
- Try to grab a finger between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand. Grab the middle joint. Press both forefinger and thumb towards the joint on opposite sides, and you should hear a "click", not a sound "crack" as with the knuckles.
- You can also crack each finger individually, and you may find that you can crack some at different angles. For example, try to take the ring finger between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand on the fingertip and the knuckle, and then rotate it outwards.
- You can also press hard on the bottom of your finger. If it touches the bottom of your finger, then you have to wait a little longer.
- You can extend your fingers loosely, grab one finger with the other hand, bend it backwards slowly and pull.
Warnings
- Although cracking your fingers does NOT cause arthritis, a study has shown that doing it often can cause slight tissue damage and deterioration; it could therefore become a bad habit.
- People with damaged hands and twisted fingers are more likely to suffer from rheumatic arthritis. It is a condition that has nothing to do with cracking your fingers: the immune system begins to attack the joints, causing inflammation and damage to the bones.
- If you feel that you are developing an addiction to this activity, try to understand the reason and deal with it first. Cracking your fingers frequently is often a sign of stress or pent-up anxiety.
- Some people are very bothered by cracking fingers. As a courtesy, try not to do it around these people.
