Does Cracking Your Knuckles Cause Damage or Arthritis?
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Q. Does cracking your knuckles cause damage or arthritis?
A. The idea that knuckle cracking promotes arthritis was brought to you by the same old wives who warned that eyes can stay crossed and palms can grow hairy. No, there is no evidence that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.
When you bend or pull your fingers, you stretch the lubricant between joints called synovial fluid. In a process known as "cavitation," bubbles form in the fluid and then burst. There is some relief and increased mobility when the bubbles make that satisfying pop, which helps explain the compulsion to do it again.
Damage other than arthritis is possible but unconfirmed. You could overextend the ligaments, like a baseball pitcher with a bad elbow, and you may lose some grip strength. Other than that, the biggest threat is from the people you are driving insane.
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