Crackling Knuckles Essay

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Crackling Knuckles Rasmussen College Author Note This written assignment is being submitted on Saturday May 11, 2013, for Jeremy Barthels MA241/BSC2087C Section 02 Human Anatomy and Physiology I Crackling Knuckles Cracked knuckles feel looser and enjoy more mobility for a while after cracking (Hopkins Arthritis). It is also possible that as kids people realize that cracking knuckles produces a funny noise and may repeat cracking just to produce the sound (Hopkins Arthritis). This may make some people habitual “knuckle crackers” (Hopkins Arthritis). Joints (knuckles) are covered by a capsule (the joint capsule or synovial capsule) (Hopkins Arthritis). Within the space of this capsule the synovial fluid is contained which acts as a lubricant and also contains nutrients for the adjacent bone surfaces (Hopkins Arthritis). A variety of gases are continuously dissolved in this fluid (Hopkins Arthritis). When one cracks a knuckle, the stretching of the capsule lowers the pressure inside the joint and creates a vacuum which is filled by the gas previously dissolved in the synovial fluid (Hopkins Arthritis). This creates a “bubble” which then bursts producing the characteristic “popping” or “cracking” sound (Hopkins Arthritis). It takes a while until these gases are re-dissolved in the synovial fluid which explains why knuckles cannot be “re-cracked” immediately (Hopkins Arthritis). There is no evidence that cracking knuckles causes any damage such as arthritis in the joints (Hopkins Arthritis). However, 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 (Hopkins Arthritis). A study found that after many years of cracking habitual knuckle crackers may have

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