[Nicola_Red]

Noooo, I was going to an oestopath at the time cos my ankle is a bit dodgy from a year where i spained it every day and she was just cracking all my bones into place.

ahh. I had the fixator in for about 18 months. I had a bone graft and a metal plate in my thigh too.

[foot-loose]

That's my pet hate; cracking your bones. Mrs Topher does it, I tell her she'll get arthritis but she says it's just an old wives tale... out of interest, can anyone back me up?

No, I think she may be right.

I read an article about how it had something to do with air between the joints escaping. I'll dig it out if you care about it?

[MK Chris]

Yeah I'm interested when you have a spare moment!

[Nicola_Red]

It looks horrible though, like a pitchfork or something. Did you not walk into things with it?

on occasion. that didn't hurt tho. a bloke walked straight into it at the Hacienda. I laughed, he looked disturbed. The actual leg lengthening hurt some of the time, and the pin sites never really healed so they got sore, but meh. Rock hard, me.

[foot-loose]

Yeah I'm interested when you have a spare moment!

Ach balls - I was hoping you wouldn't care that much.

I'll have a look when I get home. I think it was from "New Scientist".

[DemonHorse]

That's my pet hate; cracking your bones. Mrs Topher does it, I tell her she'll get arthritis but she says it's just an old wives tale... out of interest, can anyone back me up?

Errr sort of.

If you CAN do the whole cracking thing, apparently thats a sign you are likely to get arthritis anyways, so the AMOUNT of cracking is sorta irrelevant, its a sign that it will probably happen.

[Ballbag]

It's the gasses from the synovial fluids escaping into little tiny bubbles and then popping due to the pressure change. Mostly Nitrogen gas.

*Is amazed that he still remembers his Biology A-level 10 years on*

[foot-loose]

It's the gasses from the synovial fluids escaping into little tiny bubbles and then popping due to the pressure change. Mostly Nitrogen gas.

*Is amazed that he still remembers his Biology A-level 10 years on*

That sounds about right.

[Ballbag]

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/joint.html

[Nicola_Red]

there's been a discussion about cracking joints on abother forum I use and someone posted this:

I read an article in Yahoo recently that said all it is is gas bubbles popping when you pop knuckles and such. And it said it wasn't that bad for you. So, in your face, Grandma! I WON'T have arthritis when I'm older! [/desperate to be right]

That's exactly what it is, and there's nothing wrong with it. You're actually relieving discomfort caused by the pressure of the nitrogen bubbles in your joints.
Trust me, if it was dangerous, I would have been bedridden a long, long, long time ago. I go regularly to a chiropractor to have my back realigned (I have scoliosis.)

[DemonHorse]

So the fact I can't crack my knuckles or whatever is a good thing?

Pretty much.

[MK Chris]

Yeah I'm interested when you have a spare moment!

Ach balls - I was hoping you wouldn't care that much.

I'll have a look when I get home. I think it was from "New Scientist".

Ha don't worry if you can't be arsed, it's not important.

Ta everyone else.

[Nicola_Red]

Many of my joints pop and click involuntarily, but I can't do it on purpose. My flatmate and I comment on the other's clicking noises every time one of us get up from the sofa. We're getting old!

[foot-loose]

Ha don't worry if you can't be arsed, it's not important.

Ta everyone else.

To be honest, I think its already been answered above - the article that I would have used will say the same, just using lots of fancy big words and probably the chemical symbol for nitrogen.

[MK Chris]

I think you're right, yeah.

[unclejoesmintballs]

my knee's crack and so do my feet and its involentry. also i wish i was a few inches shorter being 6'5'' its a pain in the arse, but there is one advantage i get the extra legroom seats on plane's as companys are very woried about gettin sued