The "crack of dawn"
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I started cracking both my thumbs last year. I do this by bending them downwards. It's my latest habit and I would like to stop but it feels nice when I do it. Its the first thing I do in the morning (before I open my eyes) and its like they become stiff and I have to crack them. It sounds different than when people crack their knuckles, I dont crack my knuckles bcos I dont really like the feeling. I have also been cracking my wrists since I was about 10, I am 20 now. But I also had some bad experiences with joints, my knee in particular. Last year I "tore cartilage in my knee" - or so the doctor told me. I still dont know what caused this! My knee became swollen and stiff about 3 times during last year, I couldn't walk for a couple of days each time. I had an arthroscopy in the beginning of this year to remove the torn cartilage but it didnt help. Now my knee still cracks/pops and it is so sore when this happens. I am too scared to go back to the doctor, after the arthroscopy was unsuccessful, what will the doctor be able to do for me this time? If I could, I would stop cracking all my joints, but I can't stop, its like the habit of biting your nails - which I don't do, thank goodness!
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I always try to crack my wrists in the morning. Sometimes they pop, sometimes they don't.
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Yes, addiction therapy works quite well with the joint cracking habit.
Nikki, it is interesting that you write about cracking in the morning hours. It has been the same for me. The first thing I did when I got ouf of bed, was stomp my flexed feet one by one on the floor to release a series of toe cracks.
After many years, I even started doing this subconsiously. My mind was still asleep and I already cracked things. A few months ago I started a conscious effort to reduce my joint cracking. It is a hard path, and I often still fail, but I do slowly regain control with time.
Mornings are now actually my favorite time of day to start "not cracking" yet gain. The desire to crack in the wee morning hours is clearly the least distinctive for me, if I consider a full day. The later the day, the more my cracking addicition kicks in.
I find an explanation in the cause theory of Hypermobile Joints / Lax liagments. Over the night you, well, usually sleep and don't crack your joints. So after waking up, you won't have cracked any joint for about 8 hours.
Joint cracking is clearly something which you need to do more often if you crack more often. It's a viscious cylce in that way.
Mornings appear thus due to the "forced pause" the best time to start stopping / reducing. You will already have spared your joint tendons and liagments a few hours.
Nikki, I'm sorry to read about your troubles with you knee joints. However, I do recommend seeing your doctor again. Maybe switch doctors if the last one failed to help you. Not every doctor is competent enough to help.
I wouldn't worry too much about joint cracking being the root cause of the knee issues. Take a look at the introductory post from JonnyUtah who lived long and prosper with lots of cracking so far.
So while it certainly can become a very annoying habit, I never read any reports it alone ever caused any serious physiological issues.
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I started cracking both my thumbs last year. I do this by bending them downwards. It's my latest habit and I would like to stop but it feels nice when I do it. Its the first thing I do in the morning (before I open my eyes) and its like they become stiff and I have to crack them. It sounds different than when people crack their knuckles, I dont crack my knuckles bcos I dont really like the feeling. I have also been cracking my wrists since I was about 10, I am 20 now. But I also had some bad experiences with joints, my knee in particular. Last year I "tore cartilage in my knee" - or so the doctor told me. I still dont know what caused this! My knee became swollen and stiff about 3 times during last year, I couldn't walk for a couple of days each time. I had an arthroscopy in the beginning of this year to remove the torn cartilage but it didnt help. Now my knee still cracks/pops and it is so sore when this happens. I am too scared to go back to the doctor, after the arthroscopy was unsuccessful, what will the doctor be able to do for me this time? If I could, I would stop cracking all my joints, but I can't stop, its like the habit of biting your nails - which I don't do, thank goodness!
I bite my nails (don't start, I've done it since I was a kid and it's a b***h)… but anyway... I would definately go back to the doctor.... I've never had surgery on my knees, but my cartilage is screwed up in them for some reason and the pop and crack all the time when i go up and down stairs, or work out. My doctor recommended physical therapy for me, but instead I just took home some exercises I could do without having to spend the money on phys. ther.
good luck! -
Well to stop cracking your thumbs - i'm afraid only successful solution i know is 'cold turkey' which i did myself.
The torn cartilage, when removed will make the knee hurt as the bones are now rubbing together.
Oh, when you crack your wrists - you get a popping sound?
I just get a click sound - maybe i am not doing it correctly since i have no refractory period.
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Well to stop cracking your thumbs - i'm afraid only successful solution i know is 'cold turkey' which i did myself.
The torn cartilage, when removed will make the knee hurt as the bones are now rubbing together.
Oh, when you crack your wrists - you get a popping sound?
I just get a click sound - maybe i am not doing it correctly since i have no refractory period.
yeah cold turkey is hard but a good old technique i guess…
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Yes the only way!
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Yes the only way!
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double post
good point though -
I crack everything soon after I wake up, because stiffness is bad then.
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I crack everything soon after I wake up, because stiffness is bad then.
I know what you mean only too well!
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Plus filters and the network makes it all the worse and i have to frequently make sure i am not being monitored and i have no idea if i am being watched by the IT Technician and i have to sit in certain areas etc lol
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So blaze , did you really leave to break your cracking habit and blogging addiction or did school just let out and you have no more computer access.
I know your 'closet cracking' somewheres. -
No i do not crack my fingers.
I have no blogging addiction - just something to do.
I am not at school always - and oh yeh i get a's
I don't closet crack.
Leave me alone.
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He,He
I knew you were patrolling the forum somewheres
And who are you kidding
I can here you cracking from herejeez man don't you know how to have a little fun
you gots to relax man
were all just foolin around and pokin fun here
have you ever tried that
is everyone in sweden as uptight as you
what gets your blood boiling so fast
Do you drink the really big cans of red bull?It's OK to be a blog addict
joint cracking addict
and OCD is OK too
shyt, it's fun for me…..Blaze " rrrhh rrhhh, rhhh ,rhrhh arrrrr, rhhh, arrrr,, Leave me alone" :evil:
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I don't have OCD and only went on today to see if it was active and oh it wasn't.
I want to live in Sweden i don't.
I don't have OCD neither addicted.
I don't drink red bull as it speeds up the heart and is very bad for you and i do not crack my fingers.
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what do you do then
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If you mean cracking - just my neck but i am trying to stop that too
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see i gotta be that steryotype.
i have ocd
and crack every joint.
but i was cracking before i got ocd so yeaahhhand ive never had redbull
so there
