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ago in General Factchecking by (160 points)
Cracking your knuckles does not give you arthritis. The popping sound is connected to the formation and bursting of gas bubbles in your joint fluid. No studies have demonstrated an increased risk of arthritis, but frequent knuckle cracking may slightly reduce grip strength or irritate surrounding tissues​

5 Answers

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ago by Newbie (240 points)
The claim that cracking your fingers leads to arthritis is a common myth. A notable study published in the "Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine" examined the effects of knuckle cracking over a long period and found no correlation between the habit and the development of arthritis. The lead researcher, Dr. Donald Unger, famously cracked the knuckles of one hand for over 60 years while avoiding it in the other, ultimately concluding that it did not result in arthritis. However, habitual cracking can potentially lead to other issues, such as soft tissue swelling or decreased grip strength over time. So, while it may be annoying to some, cracking your knuckles does not appear to cause arthritis. It is generally harmless, but moderation is key!

https://somersethillschiropractic.com/blog/myth-buster-cracking-joints-and-arthritis/
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ago by Novice (980 points)
Exactly as you said in your post it is a myth that by cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis. In the John Hopkins article, it goes over the facts that there is no true evidence that suggests a correlation between the two. Also, the Harvard Health article I found goes over the same topic and that knuckle cracking may be a habit to let go of. This is because it is found that people tend to have worsened grip strength and there have been some other related injuries due to knuckle cracking.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/does-knuckle-cracking-cause-arthritis
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ago by Newbie (220 points)

While commonly believed to be true, cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis, as stated in the claim above. Harvard says several studies show no correlation between the rat e of arthritis and whether or not you crack your knuckles. The sound that is produced comes from the release of air from the bubbles in the synovial fluid. While reduced grip strength is a common side effect, cracking your knuckles will not cause arthritis.

Harvard

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ago by Newbie (260 points)

The claim of this John Hopkins article is that that cracking your fingers does not in fact lead to arthritis. They state that it may cause reduced grip strength but arthritis is not an effect of cracking knuckles. This claim is supported by a Harvard Study. Harvard Medical School states that "Cracking your knuckles may aggravate 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." The John Hopkins article is written by Dimitrios Pappas, who's a trusted Rheumatology Fellow of Johns Hopkins University. After fact checking, I would say this article is factual so therefore, while it may not be great for you, cracking your knuckles should not result in arthritis. 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/does-knuckle-cracking-cause-arthritis 

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ago by Newbie (210 points)
Cracking your fingers will not give one arthritis, when once cracks a finger the sound is cause by gas bubbles in the joint collapsing with each other. Dr Donald Unger participated in an experiment of kracking his knuckles on one hand for 60 years and left the other fingers alone and there was still no difference.

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