Knuckle Cracking - help

[aslanov]

since i was young i've developed a habit of cracking my knucles, but i realize that although it has no effect on me right now, it will effect my piano playing in the long-run.

And no, i do not mean ill have arthritis later, that's not supported by any study whatsoever. But what is supported is weakening hand strength, stretching and damaging of tendons and ligaments, which if i was a normal person, wouldnt really care about, but for piano playing, i cant risk it.

Anyway, does anyone know of any way to quit this habit. I mean i have the will power to stop, but what happens when i stop doing it, is my fingers get somewhat tightened and stiff, is there anyway of loosing them up without cracking them?

[practice]

Hmm.. My doctor told me that knuckle cracking is harmless. Was he lying to me?

[communist]

sit there for twenty minutes and only think about not cracking your knuckles, and every hour or so remind yourself not to crack your knuckles. I used to have that problem as well.

[aslanov]

i try that communist, thats not the problem, its just that my hands get really tight when i dont crack them.

he wasnt lying to you, he just told u that it wouldnt cause any bone or joint disorder like arthritis, but for a pianist every little big of minor change to the joints/tendons/ligaments can mean the difference

[practice]

Wow, I crack my knuckles like every five minutes. I'm kind of OCD about it. I think it would be pretty difficult to stop doing it.

[boygab90]

i used to crack my knuckles all the time but then when i stopped doing it for a while (I dont know how exactly)I forgot all about it, then threads like these might make me start crackin again 

[kawaigs40]

The last thing I read about knuckle cracking was in Time magazine quite a few years ago.  It said that cracking your knuckles is not cracking bones, it's actually popping gas bubbles that are formed in the synovial fluid between the joints.  I've been cracking my knuckles for many (50) years.  Years ago I stopped for about a month. It drove me nuts; my hands always felt "full" until I cracked again.  Hard to explain.  Anyway, through the years I've continued to "crack my knuckles" and, to this day, there's been no  problem with performance or appearance.  To each his own . . .

[weissenberg2]

well if you are not playing the piano I do not see why you would need loose hands, but do pieces to loose up your hands, and if you are not at a piano and you want loose hands anyway, stretch your hands like you are trying to reach a twentieth (with every combination of fingers possible)

[iroveashe]

I've been wondering about this lately, I've always cracked my fingers and I haven't found a straight answer about what actually is cracking and why it would be something 'bad'.

[driz]

It will generally cause swelling to the small joints in your fingers, thats how some people grow to have stubby fingers..but you can still play.

My mom, brother and me have that problem...my mom now has very stubby fingers but she still plays piano very well, my brother does too and he still plays guitar fine. I think it's a habit you don't really have to stop, but then it could also depend on personal history.

If it's the only way to loosen up, then maybe it's slightly necessary?
Why not limiting it to a few times while practicing and never otherwise?

[maisymouse]

i had the similar problem when i was a kid too. i just kept feeling the urge to crack my knuckle!
the way i stopped this habit is that whenever i felt the urge to crack them, i told myself that cracking them will be bad for me and affect my piano playing. just keep it up for sometime then you lose the habit.

okay, so it has never been proven that cracking your knuckles is bad for you, but on the otherhand, it can't be good for you, can it?

[go12_3]

I think knuckle cracking becomes a nervous habit....and I don't know why people do it.

The way to stop consciously thinking  about doing it again and again, is to wrap your knuckles with masking tape(at hard ware stores) so that whenever you feel that urge to crack knuckles, the tape will definitely be a visible item to not crack the knuckles. ( I am sure there are more flexible tapes on the market that would not hinder  piano playing. )   The idea just happened to pop up in my mind.....never tried it on anyone though.   

best wishes,

go12_3