It involves pushing the fingers of one hand into the palm of the other hand or creating a snapping sound by pressing the fingers against each other. This sound can be made anywhere, and you yourself may also be one of those who make it.
While snapping your fingers can be fun, it could also be annoying for those around you. Do you know that there are also drawbacks to snapping your fingers? Do you know how the snapping sound is created? Robert H. Shmerling has discussed this topic in detail on the Health Harvard website.
The space between the joints of your fingers fills with air, and when you snap them, it creates a bubble which produces a popping sound. It also takes some time to make another popping sound after you snap your fingers in one place.
According to a report, people who crack their knuckles in England tend to have weaker grip strength compared to those who don’t. Similarly, another study confirmed that the popping sound that occurs when gas bubbles form in joints is caused by the bursting of those bubbles.
Experts advise to try to avoid this habit, and it has also been observed that people tend to crack their knuckles more when they are stressed. Therefore, experts suggest trying alternative habits such as redirecting attention elsewhere, exercising, or listening to music.
Although most experts consider knuckle cracking to be harmless, it is still recommended that children avoid this habit because it can weaken their bones and increase the risk of injury.
