Is shooting dice in your fingers really dangerous to your health?

For many people, the sound of fingers popping is something they find it very hard to endure. Partly because it can disturb your focus when, for example, at work, a colleague sitting next to you causes it every now and then. However, the association with pain usually works. If parents notice such behavior in their child or teachers in the charge (because statistically most often it concerns children and adolescents), they often pay attention to him in order to prevent the habit from developing. But is it actually harmful to shoot your fingers? What exactly is causing this sound? What are the causes and effects of this habit?

1. Finger shooting is triggered by the behavior of fluid between the joints
2. Shooting your fingers may be due to illness or psychological reasons
3. So far, there are no studies clearly indicating the anatomical causes and harmfulness of finger shooting
4. The joints in the fingers aren’t the only joints that can shoot
5. You can find more similar stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Shooting fingers from the anatomical side – what is happening in the body?

Before answering the question of whether finger shooting is harmful and what rheumatologists say about it, it is important to look at the mechanism that causes injection. Many people mistakenly believe that bones make this sound, but research has long ago refuted this possibility. According to one hypothesis, the real reason for the characteristic slam is a bursting air bubble that forms in the fluid between joints. However, scientists now indicate that the relationship is not direct. So how does finger shooting come about?

Research has shown that when shooting, the two joints separate from each other and this is what causes the characteristic finger snap. This is because the fluid between the joints serves as a kind of lubricant. If the finger has been in one position for a while and has a predisposition to squirt, a sound will be produced. On the other hand, the fingers can somehow learn to make a characteristic sound when the person often forces them to do so by bending them appropriately.

Subsequent studies again speak of air bubbles, but not individual ones, but merging into larger ones in the fluid, which are then torn from the inside. People who shoot their fingers frequently develop more of their fingers. In this way, the slime disappears between the joints and a vacuum appears. It is she who is supposed to be responsible for the slam. The study, however, is not confirmed, and additionally raises a number of doubts due to its ambiguity. First of all, scientists say the process can affect hard surfaces, but there is insufficient evidence.

Zobacz: Joint pain and e-visit to a rheumatologist. When is it worth deciding on research?

What are the causes of finger shooting?

Shooting fingers occurs in people of all ages, but most often in children and adolescents. It is therefore wrong to think that this only applies to the elderly, who usually experience problems with arthritis or rheumatism.

The making of noise with the knuckles is related to habit rather than to a degenerative disease. Therefore, making this sound has two causes: anatomical (even related to illness) and psychological. The first of these can be related to very serious reasons, such as:

1. inflammations,
2. chondromalacia,
3. degeneration,
4. another disease diagnosed by a specialist.

Although this usually applies to other parts of the body, it should also not be underestimated in the case of fingers.

Crackling joints, including in the fingers, can be an indication that the body is missing something. Movement is the first of these things, and your fingers are often used in sports. Another factor is inadequate nutrition and insufficient hydration of the body. Even if a person feels full, it does not mean that all the minerals and vitamins are delivered to their body in the desired doses. Therefore, you should not forget about eating vegetables and fruits and giving up too much sugar, also in drinks. Shooting your fingers may not be harmful, but it does convey important information.

Check: Joint pain – causes, symptoms

Other reasons are those related to the psyche. First of all, finger shooting is usually a habit. If someone has been doing this for a long time, the harder it will be to stop it. The second thing is that some people react to stress or sadness by fiddling with their fingers, including shooting them. A person dealing with emotions in this way, or simply performing this activity habitually, should, however, remember that the generated sound is often unpleasant for the environment and be ready to remind them of it.

Is shooting with your fingers harmful and what can it result?

It has long been believed that finger shooting has a negative effect on the body, causing arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Currently, studies do not support this hypothesis. If the sound of cracking joints comes on suddenly and by itself, and it is painful, see your doctor. In the case of the fingers themselves, in the worst case, it may even turn out to need surgery, or at least physical therapy. Fortunately, the recovery process is not long and troublesome. Shooting your fingers over a long period of time also often wears off the cartilage.

Habitual shooting of the fingers, however, most likely is not harmful and does not lead to degenerative diseases. This is demonstrated above all by the experiment carried out by Donald L. Unger on himself. So people who have developed the habit of shooting may feel calm, even in old age they should not develop a degenerative disease caused by this activity. However, please note that research and experiments still have not given a sufficiently clear answer to the question: is shooting with your fingers harmful to your health.

How do I learn to shoot my fingers? How to treat diseased joints?

It should be noted that the fight against this habit can be like fighting an addiction. One effective method is to do this in a different way, i.e. with traction. It consists of pulling the finger to keep the joints separate. The specific problem with finger shooting is the snap finger. It is a disease that disturbs everyday life and makes the finger unable to straighten and causes severe pain when bending. Surgery will be necessary in three cases:

1. when the problem is caused by a few fingers,
2. when the problem lasts for more than a few months,
3. when there are comorbidities, incl. gout or diabetes.

To take care of your muscles, bones and joints, reach for Fitness that comes from nature – a set of YANGO supplements, which includes:

1. curcumin, incense and ginger capsules,
2. Beetroot dietary supplement in capsules,
3. BCAA preparation in capsules.

Finger Shooting Research

Scientists are arguing all the time whether actually shooting your fingers leads to degeneration of the joints. However, there is not much research on this subject. Some of the best known are those that Donald L. Unger ended in 1998 and started about 50 years earlier. The experiment consisted in “breaking out” the fingers of only the left hand at least twice a day. At that time, the right hand was used in the shape of a control group. After this time, it turned out that there were no differences between the joints of both hands. Of course, in the light of Evidence Based Medicine (EMB), the research cannot be considered reliable and the result reliable.

Also read: Arthritis – causes, symptoms, treatment

Subsequent studies were carried out, among others, by the University of Albercie under the leadership of prof. Greg Kawchuk. Scientists have pointed to the fact of making sounds by breaking the vacuum of unfilled goo between the joints. However, these conclusions are also often questioned by other specialists and considered uncertain. Therefore, at the present moment, it is impossible to clearly indicate neither the anatomical reason for shooting fingers, nor confirm or deny the harmfulness of such an activity.. However, in the latter issue, the hypothesis about the absence of negative consequences is more probable.

What other joints can shoot and what does this mean?

The most common shooting with joints is the fingers, slamming the spine is also common. However, in reality, it can be anywhere on the body, such as the feet, cervical vertebrae, or knees. Very often, a person faced with such an inconvenience does sports too rarely or even more generally – not getting enough exercise. However, the opposite is true, because too much load will also cause cracks in the joints. Unfortunately, injuries often arise in this way, which must be shown to the doctor or physiotherapist for examination.

1. We exercise joints – what physical activity is recommended for joints?

Shooting fingers – summary

It is generally assumed that finger shooting does not cause degenerative or rheumatic diseases. However, when you feel pain, you need to respond to this signal from your body. It is good for finger joints drink adequate amounts of water and eat wholesome meals. When considering whether to stop doing this, you should also think about the people around you, who often irritate or worry about the resulting sound. After all, it is better to abandon finger-shooting, at least until in-depth university research shows no unambiguous negative consequences.