Tuesday
Feb212006
Parental Myths #3: Knuckle Popping
Tuesday, February 21, 2006 at 8:13AM
Okay, so far I have dispelled the following myths : 1. You do not need to wait 20 minutes after eating to go into the pool and 2. It is "digestively" okay to chew AND SWALLOW a stick of gum without it clogging a major organ. and that brings me to my third parental myth:
Parental Myth #3 : Cracking or popping your knuckles will lead to arthritis, stiff joints, or "loose tendons."
Again, just figure that your parents did not want to exert the effort required to actually research this one and because they a) didn't like the noise and b)never learned to pop their own knuckles (jealousy) - they simply forbid you from popping your knuckles, and c, "it's not lady-like." (This chimed in from my dear sweet wife, who is still going through therapy sessions to deal with the gum-swallowing and knuckle popping threats she received as a child) .
Like most parental myths, they should have just told the truth. But, parents make the mistake to first forbid the behavior, then they add insult to injury by making up a ridiculous lie like, "if you pop your knuckles, you'll have arthritis by the time you're a teenager." If they really want a one way ticket to hell they may even throw in the old favorite "angel threat." I have come to realize that many people are unaware of the "angel threat."� It goes something like this, "you know, if an angel flies over while you pop your knuckles, you'll break them right off." Aside from really bad theology, this is where their arguments eventually trip them up and they begin to implicate themselves into a lie by giving too much information (a lot like the celebrity guest stars on any Columbo episode).
No, no, no, the popping or cracking of knuckles is merely an alteration of air within the inter-joint compartments, creating a popping or snapping sound. Tendons are not stretched. bones are not rubbed together. And cartilidge is not torn or destroyed. As a matter of fact, I just popped my knuckles before typing this letter.
Click here to read the other parental myths exposed!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Parental Myth #3 : Cracking or popping your knuckles will lead to arthritis, stiff joints, or "loose tendons."
Again, just figure that your parents did not want to exert the effort required to actually research this one and because they a) didn't like the noise and b)never learned to pop their own knuckles (jealousy) - they simply forbid you from popping your knuckles, and c, "it's not lady-like." (This chimed in from my dear sweet wife, who is still going through therapy sessions to deal with the gum-swallowing and knuckle popping threats she received as a child) .
Like most parental myths, they should have just told the truth. But, parents make the mistake to first forbid the behavior, then they add insult to injury by making up a ridiculous lie like, "if you pop your knuckles, you'll have arthritis by the time you're a teenager." If they really want a one way ticket to hell they may even throw in the old favorite "angel threat." I have come to realize that many people are unaware of the "angel threat."� It goes something like this, "you know, if an angel flies over while you pop your knuckles, you'll break them right off." Aside from really bad theology, this is where their arguments eventually trip them up and they begin to implicate themselves into a lie by giving too much information (a lot like the celebrity guest stars on any Columbo episode).
No, no, no, the popping or cracking of knuckles is merely an alteration of air within the inter-joint compartments, creating a popping or snapping sound. Tendons are not stretched. bones are not rubbed together. And cartilidge is not torn or destroyed. As a matter of fact, I just popped my knuckles before typing this letter.
Click here to read the other parental myths exposed!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Reader Comments (2)
What a hoot - my brother pops his knuckles all the time and my Mom always tells him not to!
The myth-busting series reminds me of my Dad. . . . "Who says you can't swim after you eat?" ;-)
yippie! ima going to bust mai dad! ; )