How can I politely ask a co-worker to stop cracking her knuckles?

It drives me absolutely insane, batty and crazy. At least once an hour she cracks her knuckles, every single knuckle. I hate the sound of bones cracking. PS She is not easy to approach....she is nice enough, but very strict in her personality.How can I politely ask a co-worker to stop cracking her knuckles?
Honestly, given all the foibles of people in any given ofc it might not be worth incurring her wrath/disfavor; why not get headphones instead so you don't hear her cracking, listen to music instead. People are very touchy re things like this and she may very well take it as a personal attack no matter how nicely you put it. I sat next to a horror who ate and drank all day long, snacks, horrible vegetable things she concocted at home in her Laboratory, smacking grunting swallowing it was like being in a zoo; finally I got headphones in self defense and was able to tune out most of her sounds. She also loved to proselytize picking her nose the whole time then looking at her finds and wiping them on her clothes all the while telling me I was going straight to hell because I wasn't Born Again.
I am sure you do little things that bother other people, leave her alone. You will just start crap, and she may do it more to spite you.How can I politely ask a co-worker to stop cracking her knuckles?
Maybe just tell her as politely as you can. If she has a strict personality, I'm surprised she cracks her knuckles.
just quietly go up to her,

say hi very politely... start a conversation

and then tell her "that i have an ocd for knuckles cracking"

and that if she doesnt mind.. she can stop.

and then apologize (just to make things less tense)
Gag loudly every time she does it.


Tell her, that every time she does it, it's like an explosion in the cartilage and eventually, in the far distant furutre, she is going to suffer real pain!
Print out an article the bad effects of knuckle popping and leave it where she can see it/find it, Lounge area, break room, bathroom, you don't have to let on you printed it. Don't do this at work, they may check your computer if you have access to one.Worth a try..

edit: Guess a sensible answer isn't wanted here.





Good Luck...
Then you must be very cunning and smart in the way you approach her with this. My suggestion to you is:the next time she begins her knuckle cracking ritual, just start a friendly conversation with her, and

nonchalantly ask her, "does that hurt when you do that?" Then tell , her you've always wanted to learn to do that, but have not been able to master it, because you are not that "talented". Then add in " once you were reading in a medical magazine how cracking your knuckles releases the synovial fluid from those joints, and that over time, your hands start to swell up and that later in life in causes bad arthritis. And let her think about it. If she has any brains she'll stop.
I really like Miss Kitty's answer put on some headphones and listen to some music that you can really get into that way you won't be so bothered by hearing the sounds of her knuckles cracking.
some people do it cause their hands hurt, deal with it. sorry.
She does it on purpose to be irritable. Go to management %26amp; complain, if you have a decent manager.
It's just something that some of us do. Perhaps you could get yourself a pair of earplugs %26amp; use them when you see her getting ready to "do the deed"! I have cracked my knuckles for over 50 years. I have none of the problems that people constantly threatened me with as a child %26amp; a young adult. In fact, my hands %26amp; knuckles are the only body part that doesn't have pain in it %26amp; I'm 55. I find gum chewers %26amp; foot tappers annoying. But there is nothing I can do about that, so I just deal with it. Saying anything about it would do no good or serve any good purpose for either of you.
Get over it. It's your problem, not hers.