A doctor has finally revealed the truth on whether cracking your knuckles can give you arthritis amid ongoing confusion on social media.
There’s no doubt that cracking your knuckles provides a lot of satisfaction – but many of us would stop as a kid due to the advice issued by our parents.
Many myths regarding cracking your knuckles exist online, including the fact they break the bones of your deceased loved ones, and the number of clicks you hear indicates how many people love you.
While those theories are pretty outlandish, the saying that cracking your knuckles can lead to arthritis did have some validity to it in some people’s eyes.
This was likely fuelled by parents who warned them against the cracking of knuckles due to the apparent risk of arthritis.
Now, a doctor has set the record straight about knuckle cracking.
What is the sound when you crack your knuckles?
Dr. Robert Klapper, an orthopaedic surgeon, told Cedars Sinai: “The noise of cracking or popping in our joints is actually nitrogen bubbles bursting in our synovial fluid.”
It’s synovial fluid that lubricates joints like ‘motor oil in a car’s engine’, according to the doctor, which ultimately reduces friction.
The nitrogen bubbles within this fluid typically take 20-minutes to re-form within the joint, meaning you have to wait that long to crack again.
Can cracking your knuckles cause arthritis?
Dr. Klapper said: “Cracking your knuckles does no harm at all to our joints. It does not lead to arthritis.”
While the joints might pop and crack, the doctor states knuckle cracking causes no harm whatsoever.
Dr Mutahir Faran, who goes by @madmedicine on TikTok, also backed up these claims with a video posted to the popular video site.
“A lot of people think that cracking your knuckles is going to lead to arthritis but that’s actually not true,” he said.
“When you crack your knuckles you’re actually popping the bubbles that are formed in your joints in your synovial fluid.”
Dr Donald Unger previously carried out a study on the matter, which Dr Faran explained in the video.
He said: “Dr Donald Unger actually cracked the knuckles on his right hand ONLY, for 60 years and then compared them to his left hand.
“He found that there were no changes in his joints.”
So there you have it, knuckle cracking does not lead to arthritis after all.
Told you, mom and dad.
