joint cracking at the elbows

[finalazn1]

Hi I'm am 19 years old and I am not as flexible as I want to be. For the past maybe 1 or 2 years, I have noticed that my joint at the elbows easily crack with simple movements. It can occur many times throughout the day. Most of the time it doesn't hurt much unless it really cracks frequently. I think it's because the muscles in my arms may be too tight and it's pulling my bones closer than it should. However, I can do a pretty good range of tricep stretches. I am not sure how to address this problem and what specific stretches I should use to correct it. If anyone knows about or have dealt with this problem please give me some advice regarding this.

[Thomas Kurz]

My joint at the elbows easily crack with simple movements. I think it's because the muscles in my arms may be too tight and it's pulling my bones closer than it should. However, I can do a pretty good range of tricep stretches. I am not sure how to address this problem and what specific stretches I should use to correct it.

Your thinking seems right--that the cause of cracking is muscle tension. But have you considered that may not be the excessive tension or tightness of your arm extensors (triceps, etc.) but rather of your arm flexors (biceps, etc.)? You say that your elbows crack even though you stretch your triceps. Maybe you should either stretch your biceps or stop stretching triceps and instead strengthen it to raise its tonus and thus balance the muscle tension around your elbow?

Keep in mind that there are also other causes of imbalances of muscular tension and these can be found out by a good physician specializing in Applied Kinesiology.