for all doctors!?

Question

i heard it was a myth, but im not exactly sure if its true.


i crack my knuckles, does that mean i have a higher percentage of getting arthritis in my hands when i get older?

Answer 1

it is a myth. there have been studies that have been unable to prove that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis..when you crack your knuckles little bubbles of nitrogen that are in your joints are being popped and that's what makes the cracking sound..cracking your knuckles can cause you to wear down the synovial fluid and disc over the course of your life that may lead to pain but not arthritis...

Answer 2

There is no recorded evidence that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis - but there are suggestions that it can lead to other issues with the hands later in life.

Each joint is contained in a small bag of special fluid called "synovial fluid." When you stretch or pull your joint to "crack" it, you are stretching the bag of fluid. As a result, a bubble of carbon dioxide gas is released inside the bag and a cracking noise is produced.
After you '"crack" or "pop" your knuckles, or any other joint in your body, it takes 10-15 minutes for the carbon dioxide to re-dissolve into the fluid. This is the reason you might have tried to crack your knuckles again immediately and didn't succeed.

So where did the old wives' tale about knuckle cracking leading to arthritis actually come from?
It probably started when older people with osteoarthritis heard kids cracking their knuckles. Since people with osteoarthritis tend to make the same grinding or cracking noise when they move the joints in their fingers and knees, they assumed kids would get it down the road.
While the arthritis connection may be an old wives' tale, cracking your knuckles can hurt your hand in other ways, and there's no benefit to doing it. The only time to worry about cracking or popping of a joint is if there is pain when the joint pops. Swelling is not normal and should be evaluated if it accompanies the noises.

In 1990, a researcher looked at the hand function in 200 adults, age 45 and above. He didn't find a greater tendency toward arthritis in the 74 habitual knuckle crackers, but the knuckle crackers were more likely to have swollen hands and reduced hand strength.

So there you have it! While cracking knuckles may not cause arthritis, there is strong suggestion and evidence that it can injure hands in other ways. Plus, at least among the non-popping crowd, it's no way to win friends

Answer 3

It only stands to reason that they are telling now that too much exercise is bad for you ,so I would think that if you crack the knuckles too many times you could wear out the joints. This would be just like people getting carpal tunnel syndrome or bad knees and hips. Anything in excess is eventually bad for you.

Answer 4

No. Long term consequences of knuckle cracking hasn't been thouroughly studied. I think the myth was made to keep children from making the annoying sound.

Answer 5

it really doesn't. im 13 and i know alot about health cuz most of my cuzins are doctors. my dad cracks his knuckles and he has been ever since he was 6. he is like, 45 or somethin now. he doesnt have any arthritis

Answer 6

yes