This question has been on the minds of many, whether it’s a person who pops their joints for enjoyment or someone who’s set on avoiding the habit altogether because it’s believed to be harmful. For the type of person who enjoys it for the relief or sensational experience it provides, the question of whether it’s harmful or not is an important one. They should be thinking, “Will this action that I purposely do to my body cause me problems in the future?”
Let’s Get A Few Facts Straight
The synovial joint is where the typical popping phenomenon occurs, usually in places like the neck, wrists, fingers, hip, near the ankles, and others. The main attribute that distinguishes synovial joints from other types of joints in the human body, such as fibrous and cartilaginous joints, is a gelatinous substance called synovial fluid, which is encapsulated between bones and connective tissue, creating the joint.
The fluid acts in a very similar fashion to motor oil. Just as motor oil acts as a lubricant between moving parts in a combustion engine, the synovial fluid is a coating between bones that reduces wear and tear between moving parts of the body. Synovial fluid is also home to phagocytes which clean up the trash in this same area. Now, inside this gelatinous substance, there are gas molecules scattered throughout the capsule. When a person “pops” their joint, he or she is actually stretching the bones of the joint further away, which causes these gas molecules to come together forming a bubble with a pop sound. However, the existence of this bubble doesn’t stay long. The pressure of the synovial fluid eventually causes the bubble to burst. The process of the gas molecules becoming scattered throughout the fluid takes a little bit of time, which is why you have to wait again to “pop” your joint.
Is popping your joints actually harmful or is it just a myth?
None of the current evidence shows that the act or process of joint cracking causes any harmful affect. The only assertion that seems to have any grounding is one that suggests that the action increases inflammation, which may cause someone to have a weaker grip over a long period of time. As far as it having a direct influence on the development of conditions, such as Arthritis, scientific investigation has failed to find any supporting evidence.
In fact, a medical doctor, Dr. Donald Unger, implemented his own experiment over the course of 50 years, which involved him popping his left hand knuckles a minimum of twice a day. Using basic arithmetic, this adds up to 36,500 times. Yet, he found no substantial difference in either hand. Dr. Donald Unger even received an Ig Nobel Prize in 2009 for his findings.
