Genetical disposition


  • Community Lead

    Are some programmed by their genes to crack their joints and others are not?

    That claim might be a bit harsh. However, I do believe some people have a genetic disposition benefiting their ability to crack their joints.

    I doubt everyone has the "skill" to relax their muscles respective joints enough to get them to do the well known popping sound.

    But maybe it is only a lack of determination? I didn't yet challenge known non-poppers to crack difficult to crack joints like their necks.

    I have one sibling who seems to be able to crack at least some of his joints if he wants to. But his desire to do this has not yet got out of hand. Unfortunately, due to reason I won't go into this subject is not much use for further study.


  • Community Lead

    This info was dissected from the article from The SpineCare Chiropractic group titled Don't Crack Your Neck!.

    Hypermobility can be congenital (i.e., hereditary) or acquired.

    Having such genes would certainly promote the development of Jointcracktitis if the cause is Hypermobile Joints / Lax liagments.



  • I'm not sure if they are 'programmed' but i do think that genes may have something to do with it - never considered it till i just read this thread. It would tend to suggest why some people can/can't, do/don't.



  • interesting theory, i cant see much evidence to support it though…



  • That's the problem with science:

    1: It can only prove things to an extent like the big bang but it can't go beyond like where the matter came from.

    2: Technological disadvantages stop many from progressing and many things are just purely untouchable.



  • as time progresses people will prob be better off technologically though.. people will probably read this thread in 70 years time and think
    "why didnt we invent this cracking machine back then" or something lol , if you get my drift… 😛 8O



  • Because technology hinders advance.



  • My father and at least 3 of my four brothers crack many joints, mainly neck, knuckles, ankles, and back. We also have other common traits (all engineers with very high intelligence, all have green/blue eyes despite brown hair and easily tanned skin).

    I have the worst cracking problems of all the family. My ankles crack whenever I wake up (involuntarily), and my range of motion becomes limited if I don't crack knuckles, neck and ankles several times per hour. The only joints that rarely crack are elbows, shoulders, and hips.

    I was diagnosed with hyperactivity when a child (before ADHD was cool) and am now in my late 40s. Been cracking my neck since my early 20s, either by manual cranking or accelerated head-spinning. No paralyisis yet. My knees are starting to experience sharp pains. I am the only family member who is significantly (40 - 50 lbs) overweight.

    My nieces crack knuckles. I have kids 3 and 6 and hear their joints crack from time to time during active play, but have tried to discourage any purposeful cracking on their part.

    My brother got "treatment" for neck cracking for a while during Navy training that consisted of antidepressants. Seemed to help temporarily.

    Not aware of any issues on my mother's side. My cousins/uncles aren't close so I haven't noticed/asked about their crack issues…..



  • @NOEngineer:

    My father and at least 3 of my four brothers crack many joints, mainly neck, knuckles, ankles, and back. We also have other common traits (all engineers with very high intelligence, all have green/blue eyes despite brown hair and easily tanned skin).

    I have the worst cracking problems of all the family. My ankles crack whenever I wake up (involuntarily), and my range of motion becomes limited if I don't crack knuckles, neck and ankles several times per hour. The only joints that rarely crack are elbows, shoulders, and hips.

    I was diagnosed with hyperactivity when a child (before ADHD was cool) and am now in my late 40s. Been cracking my neck since my early 20s, either by manual cranking or accelerated head-spinning. No paralyisis yet. My knees are starting to experience sharp pains. I am the only family member who is significantly (40 - 50 lbs) overweight.

    My nieces crack knuckles. I have kids 3 and 6 and hear their joints crack from time to time during active play, but have tried to discourage any purposeful cracking on their part.

    My brother got "treatment" for neck cracking for a while during Navy training that consisted of antidepressants. Seemed to help temporarily.

    Not aware of any issues on my mother's side. My cousins/uncles aren't close so I haven't noticed/asked about their crack issues…..

    i would say it seems genetical, but a lot of people can crack if they want to, its just that a lot choose not to i guess….


  • Community Lead

    @NOEngineer:

    My father and at least 3 of my four brothers crack many joints, mainly neck, knuckles, ankles, and back. We also have other common traits (all engineers with very high intelligence, all have green/blue eyes despite brown hair and easily tanned skin).

    I have the worst cracking problems of all the family. My ankles crack whenever I wake up (involuntarily), and my range of motion becomes limited if I don't crack knuckles, neck and ankles several times per hour. The only joints that rarely crack are elbows, shoulders, and hips.

    I was diagnosed with hyperactivity when a child (before ADHD was cool) and am now in my late 40s. Been cracking my neck since my early 20s, either by manual cranking or accelerated head-spinning. No paralyisis yet. My knees are starting to experience sharp pains. I am the only family member who is significantly (40 - 50 lbs) overweight.

    My nieces crack knuckles. I have kids 3 and 6 and hear their joints crack from time to time during active play, but have tried to discourage any purposeful cracking on their part.

    My brother got "treatment" for neck cracking for a while during Navy training that consisted of antidepressants. Seemed to help temporarily.

    Not aware of any issues on my mother's side. My cousins/uncles aren't close so I haven't noticed/asked about their crack issues…..

    NOEngineer, thank you for your detailed report, which is kinda backping up a genetic correlation.


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