Is cracking your knuckles bad?

Question

I always crack my knuckles.. and I'm not sure if I'm even supposed to do that or not...

Answer 1

I was told by a rheumatologist that it does not cause arthritis...but I do know it does make your knuckles bigger...I have rings & can't wear anymore! Try not to!

Answer 2

Some scientists wanted to learn more about knuckle cracking, so they actually stuck a sensitive microphone onto a finger. They found that there wasn't just one single sound when you cracked a finger joint - there were actually two separate sounds. The joint space is the space between the bones. There is a liquid in this space, and there are ligaments on each side, holding the bones together. As you pull on the joint, you first drop the pressure in the joint space - and the ligaments get sucked in. Once this pressure gets low enough, a bubble pops into existence - making a popping sound, which is the first of the two sounds.

Now this bubble has a certain size - on average, about 15% of the now-bigger joint space. Because the joint space suddenly has a bubble in it, the liquid, just as suddenly, pushes on the ligaments - snapping them back to their original position. This snapping back of the ligaments is the second sound.

The energy set loose inside the joint is only about 7% of what you need to damage the cartilage. But if you crack your knuckles often enough, you can end up with swollen ligaments.

Another study looked at 300 people who had been cracking knuckle joints for 35 years. They had slightly swollen joints (which is no big deal). But the real surprise was that their hands were weaker - their grip strength was one quarter as strong as it should been!

So cracking your knuckles won't bother you in the short term, but 35 years from now, you might not be able to open a jar of Vegemite!

Answer 3

A single event is not enough to cause damage to the joint, although it is possible that prolonged joint stress due to cracking knuckles may eventually lead to a higher risk of joint damage. The long-term consequences of this practice have not been studied thoroughly, and the scientific evidence is inconclusive. However, the common parental advice "Cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis" may be simply a device to deter children from this practice, because many people find the sound annoying. In fact, a study by Castellanos and Axelrod found that arthritis was not a product of knuckle cracking. They evaluated 300[1] consecutive outpatients at Mount Carmel Mercy Hospital to determine whether habitual knuckle cracking is a risk factor for hand dysfunction. They found no relation with osteoarthritis, but noted that 'knuckle crackers were more likely to have hand swelling and lower grip strength.'

Answer 4

Its not bad, actually kind of good for your joints,b/c it helps keeps your knuckles frm drying, you are moving fluid in between your joints, helps lower inflammation and it is a myth that it causes arthritis. Check any medical reference, the fluid sacks or synovial fluid is there for comfirt. The popping sound from "cracking" is just air build up-

Answer 5

It is not bad. All you are doing is forcing the carbon dioxide pocket out of the knuckle. It does no damage to cartolige, bone, or muscle in the hand.

Answer 6

I cracked mine all the time. And they hurt all the time, I don't know if there is a connection there or not.

Answer 7

Yeah I've heard it can give u arthritis. My sister's ex bff taught me how 2 do it & I taught my sister/bff how 2 do it.

Answer 8

Very bad, just ask a doctor.

Answer 9

over time it is bad.
just like anything that you put under stress...