How can I stop cracking my joints?
I'm not sure how it happened, but most of my joints crack/pop. Some of it is habit (knuckles, ankles, etc) but some of it just happens when I move around after sitting for a few minutes (spine, knees, shoulders, etc). How can I stop it from happening? Even if it isn't harmful, it's definitely annoying.
Answers ( 1 )
1. Engage Yourself in a New Hobby
Drawing, art, craft or writing are hobbies that you can inculcate to keep your hands and mind busy and engaged in your spare time. This will not leave you with any time to think about cracking the knuckles and hence you won’t.
2. Use Behavioural Therapy Techniques
If you sincerely want to give up the habit of knuckle cracking, then you must adopt either positive or negative behavioural therapy. It can either be a positive therapy with a reward for restraining the urge or a negative therapy by punishing yourself for not being able to restrain yourself when required. These techniques will surely help you in giving up the habit.
3. Keep Your Hands Occupied
Knuckle cracking is sure to ring in some harm and so you must try to train your hands to learn a new skill. This will improve manual dexterity, finger strength and coordination in your attempt to learn to twirl a pencil or coin just the way magicians do. It can prove truly good as mastering a new skill requires concentration and practise.
4. Adopt the Rubber Band Behavioural Method
A classic way of stopping yourself from cracking your knuckles is adopting the single behavioural method. You need to wrap a rubber band on your wrist which when pulled back and released will snap into your skin. The sting of it will remind you to break the habit as the pain can be associated with knuckle cracking. We know this method is a little mean but if you want to give up your habit, you will have to take extreme measures.
5. Resort to Other Preventive Methods
The cracking habit can be curbed by some other ways too. One option can be rubbing lotion on your hands. Keep the lotion handy so that the slightest urge should remind you of it and in turn, the hands will remain moisturized and soft. The second option is to tape your fingertips to your palm so that it makes a fist. You can cover your hands with socks while watching television or when you relax. Another option is to keep a pencil or pen in your hand so that you do not start cracking your knuckles.
6. Find Out the Source of Anxiety
As knuckle cracking is a nervous habit, the source of stress should be identified so that the stress does not trigger the habit. Stress can be due to social acceptance, relations with parents and peers, or upcoming exams. Try to identify the graph when the urge is high by noting it in a small notebook which can really help the person.
7. Give It Some Time
Patience is an antidote which can help a person who is trying to give up the habit of cracking the knuckles. It is harmless, and once the person realizes that he should give up the habit, the person needs to be given some time to break free.