If you’re like me, and you love to crack your knuckles, chances are a lot of people have told you that it will give you arthritis. I’m here to tell you that that assumption is totally and utterly incorrect. Before we delve into the myths behind cracking your knuckles, let’s take a look at the science behind it.
A knuckle is a joint. And a joint is made up of two bones held together by a ligament (which is a fancy word for connective tissue) that allows movement. Common examples include our shoulders, knees, and elbows. Most joints are covered by a capsule, which usually contains synovial fluid. This is a liquid found in joints, whose main function is to reduce friction between the two joints. This synovial fluid can also contain dissolved gases, such as Oxygen and Nitrogen.
Okay. Now that we have the boring stuff out of the way, let’s delve into the juicy part. To do so, we’ll play a little game I’ve entitled Vrai ou Faux, which is basically ‘true’ or ‘false’ in French.
Vrai: Your knuckles do crack!
The cracking is usually harmless, by the way. The sound we hear and term as cracking is normally nothing more than the gas bubbles bursting, due to the stretching and manipulation of the joint. When a joint is extended (such as when you pull your finger), the pressure within is lowered, which causes the interior gases to come out in the form of a bubble. As you continue to extend the joint, there is a dramatic increase in pressure which results in a partial or total collapse of the gas bubbles. The ‘pop’ sound is what we term as cracking.
Faux: Cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis.
This assumption is totally false. There was a study made by Ig Nobel Prize Winner Donald Unger, who used himself as the experiment. Every day, for sixty years, he cracked the knuckles of his left hand at least twice a day while rarely touching the knuckles of his right hand. His result was that his left hand was not susceptible to arthritis any more than his right hand was. Although this is just one person, it goes a long way to show that arthritis and knuckle-cracking are not directly related.
Vrai: Cracking your knuckles can be bad.
While this activity might not cause arthritis, it can lead to the inflammation of your joints, which then leads to reduced grip. This means that you won’t be able to hold very tightly to items, or you might not be able to hold very tightly for a long time. However, this is a result of chronic knuckle-cracking, so don’t look at your hands in shame if you just started cracking them.
Faux: You can crack your knuckles consecutively.
This is not true at all. Studies have shown that it takes about 25 to 30 minutes for the gas in the bubble to be refilled. That gives you enough time to do something more productive, until it’s time to crack them again.
People usually crack their knuckles because it’s a habit, and because it brings them temporary stress and relief. In fact, knuckle-cracking might even help joint pain and tension. However, let’s not forget that prolonged knuckle-cracking might result in damage to the cartilage covering the joint.
So the next time you crack your knuckles, or the next time someone around you does, just remember that you most definitely will not get arthritis. But, if there is prolonged pain, please contact your doctor or physician before it is too late for your poor hands.
Lead researcher:Dzifa Segbefia
Health Research Blog 