Are you knuckle cracker? Do you just enjoy the sound it makes? Is it something you do when you are nervous? Well, have no fear. Cracking those knuckles may be annoying to the people around you but it probably won’t raise your risk for arthritis. That’s the conclusion of several studies that compared rates of hand arthritis among habitual knuckle-crackers and people who didn’t crack their knuckles according to health.harvard.edu.
One of the most convincing bits of evidence suggesting that knuckle cracking is harmless comes from a California physician who reported on an experiment he conducted on himself. Over his lifetime, he regularly cracked the knuckles of only one hand. He checked x-rays on himself after decades of this behavior and found no difference in arthritis between his hands.
The “pop” of a cracked knuckle is caused by bubbles bursting in the synovial fluid — the fluid that helps lubricate joints. The bubbles pop when you pull the bones apart, either by stretching the fingers or bending them backward, creating negative pressure. The origin of most joint noises, such as popping sounds or cracking of the knees when squatting, is uncertain. They may come from the kneecap rubbing on the bones below, or a tendon sliding across an irregular surface. However, in the absence of pain, swelling, or other joint symptoms, these sounds are probably nothing to be concerned about, and there is no reliable way to silence them.
However, even if knuckle cracking doesn’t cause arthritis, there’s still good reason to let go of your habit. Chronic knuckle-cracking may lead to reduced grip strength. And there are at least two published reports of injuries suffered while people were trying to crack their knuckles.
Ways you can crack down on your knuckle cracking is to first become aware of when and why you’re doing it. Is it usually out of nerves or habit? Try deep breathing exercises or playing with a fidget toy instead.
Swapping cracking your knuckles for other stress-reducing strategies like these can help chill you out and reduce the chance of irritating your fingers or friends. If you can’t stop cracking your knuckles, consider looking into the symptoms and potential causes of fidgeting.
