By cracking your fingers you start to develop Arthritis

Question

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​

Comments

The belief that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis is a pretty common myth. According to the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, there is no evidence that knuckle cracking causes arthritis or other joint damage. Similarly, the Department of Orthopedics at UAMS Health states that while knuckle cracking may cause temporary joint soreness, it does not and will not lead to arthritis. Therefore, cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis.

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The belief that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis is a pretty common myth. According to the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, there is no evidence that knuckle cracking causes arthritis or other joint damage. Similarly, the Department of Orthopedics at UAMS Health states that while knuckle cracking may cause temporary joint soreness, it does not and will not lead to arthritis. Therefore, cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis.

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

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

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After reading this fact and learning about it in the link included, I learned that arthritis doesn't come from cracking your knuckles. But it can cause injury. I saw that your headline was a false headline but your evidence to go with it was all true.

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Initially, it's important to note that this article and its claim is relying on a well-known and credible source, which allows us to view this claim through a different lense. This article claims the myth that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis is just that; a myth. According to Eric M. Ruderman, (a rheumatologist at Northwestern Medicine), there is truly no connection between cracking knuckles and arthritis because it is just the expulsion of gas bubbles.

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While the concern that cracking your knuckles can lead to long lasting effects such as arthritis is valid, there has been no known correlation between cracking your knuckles and arthritis.

"The relation of habitual knuckle cracking to osteoarthrosis with functional impairment of the hand has long been considered an old wives' tale without experimental support. The mechanical sequelae of knuckle cracking have been shown to produce the rapid release of energy in the form of sudden vibratory energy, much like the forces responsible for the destruction of hydraulic blades and ship propellers.

There was no increased preponderance of arthritis of the hand in either group; however, habitual knuckle crackers were more likely to have hand swelling and lower grip strength. Habitual knuckle cracking was associated with manual labour, biting of the nails, smoking, and drinking alcohol. It is concluded that habitual knuckle cracking results in functional hand impairment."

This quote taken from a study by the National Library of Medicine explains what the popping sound in knuckle is caused by, and how knuckle cracking does not cause arthritis, although it can increase chances in developing functional hand impairment.

"Repetitive and intentional joint cracking won't cause cartilage damage or arthritis, but it may lead to other serious issues like instability within the joint and a loss of grip strength or hand function."

This excerpt from CentraCare also explores the possibility of repeated knuckle cracking leading to lower and function.

In short, cracking your knuckles will not lead to arthritis, but can lead to a loss in hand function .

https://www.centracare.com/articles-stories/cracking-knuckles-cause-arthritis
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1004074/

Answer 1

Cracking you're knuckles show no sign of arthritis. However it can cause some injuries such as soreness or stiffness and swelling overtime. You would want to get rid of the habit but there are no proven studies shown that arthritis is caused through cracking, therefor is a myth. 

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.

Answer 2

This article has provided clear, fact-based evidence on why cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis. I appreciate how it addresses the common misconception by presenting an alternative perspective, noting that arthritis is often due to other factors such as old age, genetics, and joint wear rather than knuckle-cracking itself.It further explains that the popping sound produced when knuckles are cracked is not indicative of pain or damage; rather, it results from gas particles in the synovial fluid releasing also can be known as "crepitus".The article highlights that, for many individuals, cracking knuckles can actually be a beneficial and relaxing habit. It might offer a sense of relief, reducing tension in the fingers and hands. By framing it as a potentially soothing practice rather than a harmful one. Overall, the article presented makes it clear that knuckle-cracking isn't as damaging as people think, contributing to a more informed discussion about the relationship between lifestyle habits and joint health.

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/can-you-get-arthritis-from-cracking-your-knuckles#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20truth%20is%20there%20is,a%20rheumatologist%20at%20Northwestern%20Medicine.

Answer 3

Scientific evidence proves the notion that cracking your fingers can cause an individual to develop Arthritis is a myth. According to Loyola Medicine up to 54% of people crack their knuckles, which would make one believe that if this were true, more people in the world would probably have or be more susceptible to getting Arthritis. “The risk factors of arthritis that have been established are age, a family history of the condition, and previous accidents with hand, or a lifetime of working with your hands doing heavy labour.” (BBC) And while there is not an audience of concrete evidence or studies on this subject, there are a few popular studies wherein the researchers proved their joints were not affected. As long as they’re cracked correctly and in moderation, doctors assure, there should be no long-term effects like Arthritis to worry about. A 2017 study on finding the difference in grip strength between those who did and didn’t crack their knuckles discovered that there wasn’t much (if any) of a difference between them.  “That same study did find a difference in metacarpal head cartilage thickness -which can indicate osteoarthritis- but didn’t go so far as to suggest knuckle cracking caused it.” (Cleveland Clinic) The cartilage in between our joints allows our bones and bodies to move and function smoothly, but as it is rubbed together, the eventual wear and tear of the thickness can lead to things like arthritis. But cracking your knuckles must be done safely and correctly, otherwise it could lead to straining, swelling, injury, or other issues that could lead to developing arthritis or other mobility problems.
 

Articles:

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

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

• https://www.loyolamedicine.org/newsroom/blog-articles/cracking-joints-facts-myths

Answer 4

Arthritis being caused by knuckle cracking is a very popular health misconception, one I know many still believe.The source provided disproving the belief is highly credible as John Hopkins hospital is ranked #1 in rheumatology, the article explained that there is no evidence supporting knuckle cracking causing any joint damage let alone arthritis. The article goes even further to debunk the statement by including the real reasons for arthritis, which turns out to not be 100 percent known. Besides inflammatory arthritis also known as rheumatoid arthritis which is best explained as joint “wear and tear” caused by aging and stress on the joints, not from cracking your knuckles.

Center, A. (2012, March 20). Arthritis news : Knuckle cracking Q&A from Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center. Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center. https://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/arthritis-news/knuckle-cracking-q-a-from/ 

Answer 5

This article claims that popping or cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis. Straight off the bat, this article was published by Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center which is a very credible source on this topic. It was a Q & A that interviewed Dimitrios Pappas, a Rheumatology Fellow from Johns Hopkins University with a masters degree. He states, “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 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 study found that after many years of cracking habitual knuckle crackers may have reduced grip strength compared with people not cracking their knuckles.” This is directly in line with an article from the Cleveland Clinic, “We’ve established that cracking your knuckles correctly won’t enlarge them or cause you to develop arthritis. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks associated with the practice… If you happen to notice swelling (or if your fingers appear crooked), ... You may have injured a ligament or even dislocated your finger.”

Arthritis News : Knuckle Cracking Q&A from Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center

Cracking Your Knuckles: Is It Bad for You?

Answer 6

No, this claim is false. Cracking your fingers does not cause arthritis. There were no additional articles mentioned in the original article that proves that cracking your fingers gives you arthritis.  Northwestern Medicine also says that there is no research proving that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.

Answer 7

The idea that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis is a common misconception. Northwestern Medicine research indicates that knuckle cracking does not cause arthritis and does not harm the joints or cartilage. The popping sound results from several gas bubbles in the joint fluid, not from the grinding of bones. Although excessive knuckle cracking can sometimes lead to temporary swelling or a weaker grip, it won't cause lasting joint damage. Although a number of people may find the habit annoying, it has not been scientifically proven to cause arthritis.

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/can-you-get-arthritis-from-cracking-your-knuckles#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20truth%20is%20there%20is,a%20rheumatologist%20at%20Northwestern%20Medicine.

Answer 8

Cracking your knuckles will not lead to  arthritis.  While many people have grown-up hearing this myth, it has been proven to be false. There’s no correlation between arthritis and and cracking your knuckles. However, cracking any joint can lead to discomfort, pain, or numbness. According to UAMS health  “there is no leading evidence that cracking knuckles causes arthritis, however, repeatedly cracking your knuckles may cause temporary soreness of the joint.” .

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

Answer 9

Contrary to popular belief cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis. 

According to this Northwestern Medicine article, Dr. Eric Ruderman, MD states, "...there is no connection between cracking your knuckles and arthritis - or any other long-term health problem.". Meaning that there is no direct correlation to arthritis because of cracking your knuckles.

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/can-you-get-arthritis-from-cracking-your-knuckles#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20truth%20is%20there%20is,a%20rheumatologist%20at%20Northwestern%20Medicine.

Answer 10

Cracking your fingers does not cause arthritis to develop in one’s joints. This claim is false. I found an article from Northwestern Medicine and Dr. Ruderman, who is a rheumatologist, said that there is no connection between cracking your knuckles and developing arthritis or any other long term problems. Also, in an article from UAMS Health, they mentioned that cracking your knuckles may cause temporary soreness in the joints because when you are cracking your knuckles you are causing the joints and bones to pull apart and this causes a temporary gas bubble to form in the joint. Sometimes it can lead to very minimal swelling, or subtle pain, but again nothing that leads to permanent arthritis.

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

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.