/oss/taxonomy/term/2362/all en /oss/article/medical-you-asked/cracking-your-knuckles-not-bad-it-sounds <p>When you press, twist, squeeze, or pull on your fingers, you get that satisfying crack sound. For some people it’s a force of habit, others just like the feeling. Whether you just wince at the sound, or do it yourself, you’re likely familiar with knuckle cracking. If you’re like me and you can’t go more than a couple hours before that satisfying pop of the joints in your hand, you’re also familiar with the scolding that comes with it. “Stop that nasty habit or you’ll get arthritis.” Is cracking your knuckles as bad as it sounds?</p> Fri, 04 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000 Cat Wang, B.Sc. 9278 at /oss /oss/article/health-and-nutrition/can-your-joints-really-feel-changes-weather <p>We all know somebody who believes they can “feel” when the weather is going to change. Maybe it’s your co-worker calling for rain because an old sports injury has started to ache. Or your grandmother faithfully rubbing her knuckles in anticipation of an on-coming thunder storm. Many people seem to think that there is a relationship between joint pain and weather patterns. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7659442">Over two thirds</a><span> of people with rheumatic diseases (disorders affecting your joints) believe their pain precedes or is caused in part by the weather.</span></p> Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:50:13 +0000 Cassandra Lee, OSS Intern 6841 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/double-joints <p><span>Are you double jointed? If not, you probably know someone who is, because this relatively common condition occurs in 10-25% of the population! Technically, the term for ‘having super flexible joints that made you popular on the playground as a kid’ Is hypermobility, and it’s characterized by having shallow joints and flexible ligaments or cartilage. In the vast majority of people, having hypermobile joints is not dangerous, except if they use them to scare other kids.</span></p> Tue, 25 Jul 2017 16:00:02 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2582 at /oss /oss/article/science-science-everywhere/joint-ease-plus <p>Osteoarthritis is a condition that afflicts large segments of the aging population. There is no cure, but some medications can help control the pain and help improve joint flexibility. The most commonly used ones are the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but they present a risk of gastrointestinal irritation, sometimes with serious complications such as bleeding ulcers. Needless to say, there are hundreds of so-called “natural” remedies that purport to be superior to drug treatment and promise exquisite results without side effects.</p> Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:16:14 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1619 at /oss