Upon fact checking this claim, I found at least four other articles with the same or similar title as the source they linked in this claim questioning whether cracking one's knuckles causes arthritis. Just by copying and pasting their claim, I learned this was a commonly questioned statement. I did not find any articles agreeing with the claim, which increased my confidence that this was fake.
After reading the source they posted, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence that cracking knuckles causes arthritis. In fact, the article states “a Californian doctor called Donald Unger cracked the knuckles of his left hand at least twice a day, leaving his right knuckles uncracked. His conclusion? ‘I'm looking at my fingers, and there is not the slightest sign of arthritis in either hand,’ he said.” Though this source, BBC, is a reputable source, there is no clear conclusion that cracking knuckles leads to arthritis. Though, the article also did state that very few studies about this phenomena have been carried out. In addition, the article mentioned “Knuckle-crackers appeared to have a grip that wasn’t as strong, and 84% of them had signs of swelling in their hands” which led me to do more research on this claim.
I found this article from Northwestern Medicine updated in 2023 stating “‘The truth is there is no connection between cracking your knuckles and arthritis — or any other long-term health problem,’ says Eric M. Ruderman, MD, a rheumatologist at Northwestern Medicine”.
https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/can-you-get-arthritis-from-cracking-your-knuckles#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20truth%20is%20there%20is,cracking%20your%20knuckles%20and%20arthritis.
Ruderman specializes in rheumatology, which focuses primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and autoimmune diseases, making him a credible second source. The science behind knuckle cracking is that popping noises or “crepitus” are caused by bursting gas bubbles in the fluid that help lubricate your joints. The bubbles pop when you pull the bones apart, either by stretching the fingers or bending them backward. This has shown to be just a harmless habit that shows no signs of medial threat. Overall, this claim is fake.