Knuckle cracking causes arthritis

No, cracking your joints does not cause arthritis, and indeed, research has been done to investigate this question. This causes gas bubbles in the joint fluid to collapse or burst. At least one study also found the grip of people who habitually crack their knuckles may weaken over the years. There is no evidence that cracking knuckles causes any damage such as arthritis in the joints. Where did the myth knuckle cracking causes arthritis. Multiple studies have indicated that there is no evidence to suggest cracking knuckles causes or worsens arthritis. These are signs that something is wrong, and you should be evaluated by. Thats the conclusion of several studies that compared rates of hand arthritis among habitual knucklecrackers and people who didnt crack their knuckles. The pop of a cracked knuckle is caused by bubbles bursting in the synovial fluid the fluid that helps lubricate joints. The common claim that cracking ones knuckles causes arthritis is not supported by evidence. A good example of a study investigating this idea used knuckle cracking as a model. A mayo clinic hand surgeons answer may surprise you.

Joint cracking can result from a negative pressure pulling nitrogen gas temporarily into the joint, such as when knuckles are cracked. Research studies comparing knuckle crackers to noncrackers have had mixed results. A doctor even showed this by experimenting on himself. Cracking knuckles does not appear to cause or worsen arthritis, but it can soften the grip and lead to soft tissue swelling. Find the truth about questions that pique your curiosity in our series, the short answer. You may have heard that knuckle cracking causes arthritis, but theres no evidence to support this claim. The cracking occurs for numerous reasons, and it is commonly thought to cause or inflame arthritis between 25 and 54 percent of people are thought to crack their knuckles. Cracking your knuckles doesnt cause harm, so it shouldnt be painful, cause swelling, or change the shape of the joint. Has anyone tried to scare you by saying cracking your knuckles will cause you to get arthritis when you get older. Here are answers to questions about cracking your knuckles, including why knuckles crack, if knucklecracking causes arthritis or is bad for you, and how to stop cracking your knuckles. Another study indicated that while knuckle cracking was not associated with arthritis, it was associated with damage to ligaments that surround the joint and dislocation of tendons. Scientists still cant pinpoint why are joints make a cracking sound but, according to extensive research, theres no proof that knuckle cracking damages the joints one scientist was so keen. If a joint gets locked when it pops, knuckle cracking could lead to injuries in your hand. More specifically, knuckle cracking does not cause arthritis.

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. If a joint gets locked when it pops, knuckle cracking could lead to injuries in. There hasnt been a lot of research on the effects of knuckle cracking, but the limited evidence shows it doesnt harm your joints. Conventional wisdom says cracking knuckles does cause problems, but a researcher who studied the question says no. Knuckle cracking doesnt cause arthritis, but some research suggests the habit may not be completely harmless. Claudia hammond examines what causes the winceinducing sound, and sifts through the evidence to see whether it actually damages your. Chronic knucklecracking may lead to reduced grip strength. Doctor cracked own knuckles for 60 years to quash links. Others make a tight fist or bend their fingers backwards away from the hand, cracking the. Knuckle cracking can cause harm, including arthritis.