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in General Factchecking by Newbie (490 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​
ago by Newbie (490 points)
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This fact-check effectively confirms that cracking your fingers does not cause arthritis, a claim supported by a credible medical source. The article also highlights potential risks like reduced grip strength and tissue irritation. While the provided source is strong and includes a detailed medical explanation, incorporating additional sources and direct quotes could further strengthen the argument. More perspectives would add depth and reinforce the credibility of the claim. Overall, this is a well-supported fact-check!
ago by Newbie (430 points)
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This is something that at first glance I thought could be true. After reviewing the article, it is clear that this claim is not true. There are some downsides to cracking your knuckles, but not large enough like causing arthritis. Other sources would probably provide similar, if not the same information.
ago by Newbie (290 points)
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This is a very clear and straight foward answer that includes all components of a well rounded fact check. Great work!!
ago by Newbie (330 points)
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This fact check is effective in supplying an answer to whether or not the claim is true. However, the factchecker only looks into the resource mentioned within the initial claim and does not do any outresearch to support their fact-check. If they were to find another source or two to support their fact checking it would be much more effective.
ago by Novice (740 points)
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This fact-check does a great job of debunking the myth that cracking your fingers causes arthritis, backing it up with a credible medical source. It also points out other potential risks, like reduced grip strength and tissue irritation. While the source is solid and provides a thorough medical explanation, adding more references and direct quotes could make the argument even stronger. Bringing in multiple perspectives would add depth and further validate the claim. Overall, this is a well researched and well supported fact-check.

108 Answers

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by Novice (530 points)

After looking into this claim, it’s clear that the idea that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis is a myth. Research has consistently shown no connection between knuckle cracking and the development of arthritis. The popping sound you hear is caused by the collapse of gas bubbles in the synovial fluid, not damage to the joints.

Credible sources like Harvard Health and the Mayo Clinic confirm this. However, excessive or aggressive knuckle cracking could lead to minor issues, such as ligament irritation or reduced grip strength over time, as noted by the Cleveland Clinic. So while cracking your knuckles won’t give you arthritis, it’s a habit that might have some downsides if overdone.

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

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-a-hand-surgeons-advice-about-knuckle-cracking/

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-cracking-your-knuckles-bad-for-you

False
by Apprentice (1.2k points)
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I have heard that cracking your knuckles won't cause arthritis, but I didn't know of the real possible downsides that are overshadowed by this. You did a great job of referencing credible sources and I was able to follow your argument well. It flowed smoothly and was informative on the topic!
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by Novice (620 points)

Hello I was looking at the article and how it states that "Cracking your knuckles can cause Arthritis" but I've come to the conclusion that the article or piece isn't backed by 100% factual research. This claim is backed by research, including a study from Northwestern University Institution. According to their findings, "Cracking your knuckles may aggravate the people around you, but it probably won't raise your risk for arthritis." This conclusion is supported by several studies that compared the rates of hand arthritis in habitual knuckle-crackers versus non-crackers. Additionally, a related article from Johns Hopkins also reinforces this perspective.I was actually able to find that not all legitimate or creditable sources would agree with it. One in particular would be the Northwestern University institution where they state that cracking you fingers doesn't always lead to arthritis and that it can be seen as myth. I used the main SIFT method to help me and was able to extract information and found that the John Hopkins article is actually legit in some ways.

https://www.nm.org › HealthBeat › Healthy Tips

True
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by Novice (750 points)
Cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis.Harvard Health and National Library of Medicine haven’t found any inks between the habit and the development of arthritis. The popping sound is caused by bubbles bursting in the synovial fluid of the joint. HARVARD HEALTH However, habitual knuckle cracking may lead to temporary hand swelling and reduced grip strength.
False
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by Newbie (230 points)
Whereas it is true that knuckle cracking does not lead to arthritis, it is questionable that Johns Hopkins mentioned a reduce grip strength caused by knuckle cracking. The Houston Methodist reiterates that there is no study showing any long term damage occurring because of knuckle cracking.

https://www.houstonmethodist.org/blog/articles/2020/jun/does-cracking-your-knuckles-cause-arthritis/
True
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by Newbie (250 points)

This claim is true, knuckle cracking does not have a direct causation of arthritis. I used the SIFT method to fact check this claim. I found a different claim that also investigates the same question. Affects of Habitual Knuckle Cracking On Hand Function is a scientific study on what actually happens when you crack your knuckles. When talking about the findings it states "There was no increased preponderance of arthritis of the hand in either group" This means that the findings in this study and yours are very similar. Although knuckle cracking does not cause arthritis it does cause swelling of the hands. This study was conducted by researchers from department of internal medicine, which from my evaluation seems very trust worthy.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1004074/ 

True
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by Newbie (320 points)
edited by

According to Piedmont Healthcare, studies have not found a definitive connection between cracking knuckles and arthritis or any medical-related issues. Some studies suggest knuckle cracking may lead to hand swelling at older ages, even though this is not a clear connection. Piedmont Healthcare's Dr. Behr claims it may be true that popping knuckles can give some physical relief through the release of nitrogen. However, this does not link cracking fingers to arthritis.

Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center states that there are two predominant kinds of arthritis: inflammatory, rheumatoid arthritis, and degenerative arthritis. The reasons for causation for both of these diseases are not definitive; however, a genetic condition has been confirmed as highly probable. People with arthritis that crack their knuckles will not make it worse but it may increase the likelihood of ligament injury. Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center deliberately states "There is no evidence that cracking knuckles causes any damage, such as arthritis in the joints".

Sources:

https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/myth-buster-is-knuckle-cracking-bad-for-you

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

False
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by Newbie (300 points)

This claim that says by cracking your fingers a person can start to develop Arthritis is completely false. Cracking your fingers is a habit that many people have started, this habit is usually harmless and does not cause Arthritis. Arthritis is pain in someones joints that causes inflammation. There are different types of Arthritis that attack the joints and because Arthritis does not only develop in your hands this claim is not true. There are many components that can cause Arthritis including factors like age, genetics, injuries, and obesity. There are also no studies to prove that cracking your fingers can lend Arthritis. Many people do believe that the sound of cracking your fingers is your joints moving but it actually is the releasing air bubbles from the synovial fluid that lubricates your joints( making them be able to move). Overall this claim is not proven and is completely false.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20120917-is-it-bad-to-crack-your-knuckles

https://www.tylenol.com/adult-relief/arthritis/arthritis-types?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BI-USA-ENG-PS-Tylenol-Arthritis-CS-PH-RN-PR-N/A-Symptoms_Arthritis&utm_content=Arthritis|Symptoms|Hands&utm_term=signs%20of%20arthritis%20in%20fingers&&msclkid=88794bc029ea1cfb1db12c59346ccef3&gclid=88794bc029ea1cfb1db12c59346ccef3&gclsrc=3p.ds

https://www.healthline.com/health/cracking-knuckles

False
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by Newbie (310 points)

The Johns Hopkins article claims that cracking your fingers does not cause arthritis. While it may lead to reduced grip strength, arthritis is not a known effect of knuckle cracking. This claim from the article is supported by a UAMS Health article. UAMS states, "The Department of Orthopedics noted there is no evidence that knuckle cracking causes arthritis. However, repeatedly cracking your knuckles may cause temporary soreness of the joint." Several studies have compared rates of hand arthritis between habitual knuckle-crackers and those who do not crack their knuckles. According to the article by Dimitrios Pappas, a trusted Rheumatology Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, there is no conclusive evidence linking knuckle cracking to arthritis. After fact-checking, this article appears to be factual. While cracking your knuckles may not have significant health benefits, it does not directly cause arthritis.

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

True
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by Newbie (300 points)
The original claim of the subject is that "By cracking your fingers, you start to develop arthritis." However, in response to this, a fact check using a credible source, such as the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, explains that while cracking your knuckles chronically could cause a weaker grip strength or other minor issues like tissue irritation, it has no link to arthritis itself, this has also been backed up by sources I visited like health.harvard.edu as well as the mayo clinic which also supported this claim, these clearly show that knuckle popping causing arthritis is a common myth. Implying that this fact check is, in fact, true.
True
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by Newbie (300 points)

Hello, I've always wondered if this notion was true, because of that, I researched your claim, and after reviewing a few sources, I've concluded that this claim is not true. According to my source, Johns Hopkins Medical, "There is no evidence that cracking knuckles causes any damage such as arthritis in the joints. However, a couple of reports in the medical literature are available associating knuckle cracking with injury of the ligaments surrounding the joint or dislocation of the tendons ( attachments of muscles to bones), which improved with conservative treatment." A majority of medical websites conclude that cracking one's knuckles does not lead to arthritis. 

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

False

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