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in General Factchecking by Newbie (340 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​
by (150 points)
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The claim that this article states "Cracking your fingers does not give you arthritis" is a factual claim that is supported by the source that's provided. The article also states the possible risks of cracking your fingers, reduced grip strength and irritated tissue.

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by Novice (700 points)
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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 

True
by Novice (660 points)
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Your fact check is thorough and backs up the source with a different study from an established institution. Additionally, I appreciate that you researched the author of the article and their credibility. Good job
by Newbie (350 points)
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Interesting points! I agree that citing reputable sources like Johns Hopkins and Harvard Medical School boosts the credibility of this claim. However, I’m curious about the specific studies these institutions refer to. Did they look at a broad demographic, and how long did they follow participants? Sometimes smaller studies show preliminary results that don’t always hold up with larger samples or over extended periods.
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by Newbie (360 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/
True
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by Apprentice (1.5k 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
by Novice (590 points)
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Well-corroborated fact check! I also appreciate your notion of other potential risks associated with knuckle cracking, as that nuance is important to the issue at hand.
by Novice (940 points)
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I think you did a good job fact checking. You added good evidence on why the claim is true. Claim without evidence is worthless.
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by Newbie (300 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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by Newbie (260 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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by Newbie (320 points)
According to an article by Dimitrios Pappas, a Rheumatology Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, cracking your knuckles does not actually cause arthritis. While there is some evidence it may slightly reduce grip strength, arthritis isn’t linked to this habit. This claim is supported by research from Harvard Medical School, which states, "Cracking your knuckles may aggravate the people around you, but it probably won't raise your risk for arthritis." Harvard’s findings are based on multiple studies comparing hand arthritis rates between frequent knuckle-crackers and those who don’t crack their knuckles. After verifying the facts, it’s safe to say that while cracking your knuckles might not be ideal, it’s unlikely to lead to arthritis

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/does-knuckle-cracking-cause-arthritis
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by Newbie (300 points)

By Cracking your knuckles you start to develop Arthritis that statement is not True. However the content  in the article is True. When I went to the John Hopkins source it says that There is no evidence of such an association. In limited studies performed there was no change in occurrence of arthritis between “habitual knuckle crackers” and “non crackers.” My source is John  Hopkins Arthritis Center. John Hopkins is a reputable Medical organization.    https://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/arthritis-news/knuckle-cracking-q-a-from/

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by Newbie (300 points)

Cracking finger joints will not cause a person to develop arthritis. Arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, as stated by the University of Arkansas. When a person stretches their fingers, they can pop bubbles in the synovial fluid which creates the distinctive “pop” sound, as explained in the article from Harvard Health. This action might aggravate existing Arthritis but has no connection in causing it. There could be other negative side effects such as weakened grip strength, or simply public disturbance which might be why the rumor was originally started. 

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

https://uamshealth.com/medical-myths/will-cracking-your-knuckles-cause-arthritis/

by Newbie (220 points)
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Nicely put, I like that you cited your source and explained your answer. Good job! I feel educated, thank you.
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by Newbie (340 points)

The claim of this John Hopkins article is that cracking your fingers does not lead to arthritis. The article state that it may cause reduced grip strength but arthritis is not an effect of cracking knuckles. This claim is supported by the Harvard Study below. Harvard Medical School states that "it probably won't raise your risk of arthritis." After fact-checking, I would say this article is factual so therefore cracking your knuckles should not result in arthritis. 

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

False
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by Newbie (360 points)

There is no scientific evidence that supports the claim that cracking your knuckles will help you develop arthritis. First, according to Harvard Medical School, when you crack your knuckles, the popping noise is cause by "bubble bursting in the synovial fluid". This does not cause arthritis, however the article does say that cracking your knuckles frequently can lead to reduced grip strength. There have also been cases that link knuckle cracking to injuries of the ligaments that surround your joints. This claim is false as there is no link between knuckle cracking and arthritis. 

Articles used:

https://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/arthritis-news/knuckle-cracking-q-a-from/

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

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