There are people who crack their fingers all the time. Or your head cracks when you relax your tense neck by stretching. Read here why our joints crack, whether that can be harmful – and which exercises help now.
After a long day in front of the computer, neck pain is not uncommon. Intuitively, you often try to relax your neck by stretching. Sometimes it cracks. But why do our joints actually crack? Is that harmful? And what do you advise the friend who keeps cracking his fingers?
Joints crack for 2 reasons
Joints crack for two reasons, as the Munich specialist for orthopedics Dr. Willibald Walter explained to FITBOOK. “If the muscles are shortened, there is too much tension on the tendons. They then scrape across the joints and you can hear it.” The other cause: blockages in small vertebral joints. In the event of a blockage, the pressure felt is caused by air in the joints. «If you stretch the joints, the air escapes and it cracks,» says the expert. The cracking converts the resulting negative pressure into normal pressure, which is a relief and reduces the tension.
Can that be harmful?
The cracking in itself is not unhealthy – but in the long run it is not a solution to the problem and rather a sign that something needs to be done, according to the orthopaedist. “The longer a muscular problem has existed, the more likely it is that there will be muscular tension and the more likely that this will lead to limitations in the joint.” If it cracks in the neck and you don’t have any additional symptoms, you should ensure more exercise in everyday life.
Like everything in life, stretching or cracking the joints can become routine. «Then something happens automatically without there being a reason for it,» Walter points out. So if your boyfriend or girlfriend cracks their fingers for what feels like the hundredth time a day, feel free to point that out!
Relaxing the muscles should be done by an expert
If blockages are the reason, you can put an end to the cracking in two steps: first the tension has to be relieved from the muscles and then they should be strengthened. How can this succeed? According to the orthopedist, physiotherapeutic and strength-therapeutic exercises have to be used. A specialist should relax the muscles – Walter therefore recommends consulting a doctor in any case. Later you can continue the exercises alone.
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What to do with shortened muscles yourself?
In the case of shortened muscles – such as tense neck muscles – stretching exercises are the right thing to do. Sports scientist Benjamin Zölß recommends, for example, standing on all fours as a strengthening exercise: “You kneel on all fours and try to keep your neck straight. Later you can also stretch an arm and a leg.” Advantage of the exercise: You don’t need any equipment and you can do it anywhere.
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If the cracking comes from shortened muscles or tendons, stretching exercises would also help. «The connective tissue and the muscles must be so flexible that no tension occurs,» explains Zölß. You can carefully pull your head towards the opposite hip with one hand. In consultation with a physiotherapist, for example, you will find the ideal strengthening and stretching exercises for you to counteract the cracking.