You may have heard people say that cracking
knuckles leads to arthritis. There is no medical evidence to support that, but
it is possible that cracking knuckles a lot over a long period of time could
cause problems like swelling or reduced grip strength.
Knuckle cracking
is probably a habit to break. Besides the chance that it might cause
future problems, joint cracking can annoy other people. Why risk turning off a
crush, a job interviewer, or someone you are trying to impress?
How knuckles crack?
Located where the fingers
meet the hand, knuckles are sometimes called metacarpophalangeal joints.
- The
clicking, cracking, popping, or snapping that occurs when you crack your
knuckles is associated with tiny gas bubbles.
- To
produce a cracking sensation, a finger is forced forward or backward
(doctors call this hyper-flexion or hyper-extension at a
metacarpophalangeal joint) or pulled straight away from the hand. Any of
these movements can cause a change in pressure in the joint. The pressure
change causes tiny gas bubbles to form in the knuckle’s joint fluid.
- It
is not clear whether the cracking noise is produced when bubbles form or
when the bubbles pop.
- It
usually takes 15 or 20 minutes for the gas bubbles to dissipate and for
the bones of the joint to return to their normal positions. This is
why you cannot crack the same knuckle twice in a row.
It seems logical that
habitual knuckle cracking could cause arthritis or other degenerative changes
in the hand. But what do medical researchers say?
Conflicting research on knuckle cracking and
arthritis
Research studies comparing knuckle crackers to
non-crackers have had mixed results. A couple of studies have reported an
association between knuckle cracking and hand arthritis. Others found no
significant connection.
So, is it fine to continue your knuckle cracking?
Well, it is certainly not recommended. Even studies that found no connection
between knuckle cracking and arthritis reported other signs of joint changes.
Possible changes in the hand
Research suggests people who often crack their
knuckles may have:
- More swelling in their hands.
- A weaker grip.
- A slightly larger range of motion in
their hands while this seems like a good thing, hypermobility can put
a joint at risk of osteoarthritis and other injuries.
- Signs of cartilage changes in their
knuckle joints that indicate possible scarring and a higher risk of
developing osteoarthritis.
Like the research regarding knuckle cracking and
arthritis, the research regarding these potential effects also shows conflicts.
For example, the same study that reported knuckle crackers had cartilage
changes but did not find any evidence that they led to weaker grip strength.
Studies examining knuckle cracking tend to be small, ranging from 35 to 300 people. Also, most compare knuckle crackers and non-crackers over a short period of time. Larger, longer-term studies that measure changes in hands over time are necessary to draw clearer conclusions.
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