Beginner looking for health advice.

[poppingnoob]

I've been practicing arm waves for a couple weeks now. I started with my right arm since I'm right handed. I have now moved on to my left arm and i keep feeling my joints cracking (like the sound of people cracking their knuckles) every time I try to arm wave with my left arm. Is this normal or a health hazard for the long run? Thanks in advance for the help.

[Smooth]

Well... you should read on WebMD etc about this kinda stuff... but you're in luck... i had the same problem.

Now, if the crack is the type where it doesn't hurt, and you only do it "once" to "crack it," those are just air pockets between the joints. For example, if you crack your knuckles, that is what you are doing. You're just getting the air pockets out. contrary to popular belief, cracking your knuckles will NOT give you arthritis, so if this is what you're experiencing (a one time pop towards the beginning of the session, and then it doesn't pop anymore) you're fine. That's just the joints getting the air pockets out.

Now, i had a problem with my right arm because of overuse (i wave a LOT, many hours a day, not just while practicing dancing during my set time, but even when i'm walking to class or whatever, you know?) where my elbow would feel like it locked up, and it would keep poppin over and over again.

I researched it, and found that it was tendonitis (inflamed, or swollen, tendons). That is bad. You are over exerting yourself in a such a small amount of time, and you need to take it easy (but hey, we can tell you're dedicated, good shit).

Anyway, you should probably let that heal up, or talk to your parents about it, because heck, parents are old versions of you, and they probably have experienced what you are going through.

Just as a quick note, if you do a lot of digitz, which requires finger waving, you might notice that your upper-outer-forearm gets "sore." That's actually tennis elbow. If you experience that, take it easy with the digitz (again i had this same problem).

Anyway, good luck, and also remember to drink a shit ton of water (i've been doing that lately, it's helped out my joints a lot, if you're not drinking enough your joints will respond badly to you) and don't keep on trying to "pop" your elbow over and over if it is tendonitis as i described (as you're not really cracking anything, you're just rubbing the tendon against other tendons and making it swell up).

Later broski.

[poppingnoob]

I wish this was because I was practicing too much. It's not though. Whenever I just do one, my elbow "cracks". This doesn't happen everytime, but atleast half the times. Any other suggestions? Or should I not even risk my elbow from injury?

[Smooth]

Okay well here's another thing i've noticed.

After waving a lot lately, i've noticed that sometimes that air pocket will come back and i'll have to pop the joint again. Sometimes it comes out while i'm waving (as that is the cause of the air pocket forming) sometimes i have to pop it otherwise (but not usually)

Listen... none of us are health professionals. You should probably ask a doctor.

But the best advice i can give you (that is non-medical) is that if the pop doesn't hurt, it's not something to be worried about. If the popping hurts you're either a) doing it wrong, or b) hurting yourself, so just stop doing that haha.

However, if you it's just minor "knuckle crack" type pops in your other joints.. that's okay.

When i warm, i like to stretch everything. This might help you as well. Stretch the full body.

Do neck circles, arm stretches, ab stretches, and leg stretches. "Roll" your ankles and wrists to get the cracks out.

Since i've been doing a lot of digitz and getting better and better at it, i've also noticed an increase in how much i crack my knuckles.

My knees are the same way.

As i said, a good 10-12 minute stretch routine before you dance and drinking lots of h20 could solve your problem. It solved mine.

A lot of people just injure themselves because they don't stretch properly before working out, and contrary to what some people might think, dancing is definitely a work out.