Does cracking knuckles affect piano playing?

[samuelkarabetian]

Hello

I've always had the bad habit of cracking my knuckles. People tell me that it will make my fingers more stiff but I don't think it has any impact on my piano playing. I've been playing piano for over 8 years and I haven't noticed anything bad happening to my hands. Anyone in a similar situation?

[michael_sayers]

Hello

I've always had the bad habit of cracking my knuckles. People tell me that it will make my fingers more stiff but I don't think it has any impact on my piano playing. I've been playing piano for over 8 years and I haven't noticed anything bad happening to my hands. Anyone in a similar situation?

Hi Samuelkarabetian,

To me it intuitively sounds like not a very good thing for a pianist to do.


Mvh,
Michael

[michael_c]

The question of why knuckles pop has just (at last!) been answered: https://www.cnet.com/news/mystery-solved-why-do-knuckles-crack/

From the linked article:

"The data fail to support evidence that knuckle cracking leads to degenerative changes in the metacarpal phalangeal joints in old age," the study concludes. "The chief morbid consequence of knuckle cracking would appear to be its annoying effect on the observer."

[michael_sayers]

The question of why knuckles pop has just (at last!) been answered: https://www.cnet.com/news/mystery-solved-why-do-knuckles-crack/

Hi Michael_c,

An M.R.I. scan isn't the same thing as a study of the long term effects.  There could be a medical study out there, somewhere, with conclusions that aren't very nice.


Mvh,
Michael

[j_menz]

"The chief morbid consequence of knuckle cracking would appear to be its annoying effect on the observer."

Some of whom may do you physical violence. 

[stoyo]

Hi Michael_c,

An M.R.I. scan isn't the same thing as a study of the long term effects.  There could be a medical study out there, somewhere, with conclusions that aren't very nice.


Mvh,
Michael

https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-your-knuckles-pop-eleanor-nelsen

[michael_sayers]

https://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-your-knuckles-pop-eleanor-nelsen

That isn't the same thing as a study with 100 people in it paid to crack their knuckles ten times a day for five years, and which says how their hands were doing at the end and also who, if any among them, developed issues.


Mvh,
Michael

[stoyo]

Sure, study also has to be done in a certain way for all of them, maybe time of the day matters, time between the cracking, other activities, going to the gym, diet, blablabla...

Thats what we got, until we get something better and i believe we always will. Is it better than nothing or is it worse? You decide, go by intuition or by what is presented. I always cracked my joints and will do. A doctor once said to me its nothing harmful and i should not give it attention, i trust his saying.

After all its also a psychology matter, if you crack them and think about it all day long or feel bad about it, dont do that, if you dont mind, just go on!

[michael_sayers]

Hi Stoyo,

This is from https://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/arthritis-news/knuckle-cracking-q-a-from/

"A couple of reports in the medical literature are available associating knuckle cracking with injury of the ligaments surrounding the joint or dislocation of the tendons ( attachments of muscles to bones) which improved with conservative treatment. A study found that after many years of cracking habitual knuckle crackers may have reduced grip strength compared with people not cracking their knuckles."


Mvh,
Michael

[stoyo]

As with every non-scientific subject it comes down to personal choice/preference after all. For me whenever i read "Associating that with this" and "May do that" i take it with some grains of salt. Its good to hear both sides.

[iansinclair]

As Michael pointed out, cracking the knuckles is actually not the joints, but comes from the tendons and ligaments holding and positioning the joints sliding past the bones.  Does it hurt them?  Seems as though the evidence is "not proven", but I can't think that it actually helps...