Is cracking your joints really that unhealthy?

As you may already know, I experience quite a short circuit when someone is loudly munching on a bag of chips to my right or sucking on a lollipop next to me on the train. I am such a misophonic, yes. Very normal sounds can cause quite a bit of panic in my head. But what gives me the chills all over my body is the cracking or popping of limbs. Something my lovely colleague, who is two meters away from me, has quite a knack for. At such moments, I really have to squeeze my hands to calmly endure that moment. Many stories are circulating, but what is the deal with the sounds coming from your joints?

First of all, for clarity: I am not talking about that cracking hip after that last deep squat this morning in the gym or that little crack in your knee during that walking lunge. This sound is usually a sign of a muscle or tendon sliding over the bone. With a good stretch, the sound often disappears like snow in the sun. The cracking of your knuckles, neck, or back, on the other hand, is a different story. Between your joints, there is space filled with fluid to allow the joint to move smoothly, in which gas is dissolved. Due to a vacuum in this space, the loose bone pieces are pulled tightly against each other. At the moment you pull on your finger or extend your knee, the vacuum is broken, and gas is released into the fluid, causing that sound. As long as those fingers make noise without any accompanying pain or swelling, there is no reason to panic. When pain occurs, there may be an injury, and it is wise to visit a physiotherapist. Is it dangerous? Not that either. The cracking itself is not dangerous, but putting your joints in a strange and unnatural position can cause damage.

Tips to keep your joints healthy:

• Movement is good for you. Not only for your fitness but especially for your joints. Training with your own body weight, such as lunges, squats, and wall sits, as well as a brisk walk, can be sufficient for healthy joints. So take the stairs more often or walk to do your shopping.
• Always do a warm-up before you start exercising. Sudden intense strain can lead to injuries.
• And don't forget that stretch after your boot camp session. Not only good for your body, but also just really nice.

And now let's hope Adeline isn't reading along, because then I can shamelessly keep insisting that it's not good for you...