When someone tells you that cracking your knuckles will lead to arthritis, they're wrong.
What exactly makes that "popping" sound? When you crack your knuckles, or back, or whatever, you are pushing the joint into or out of its normal position. Joints are the meeting points of 2 separate bones. A thick liquid called synovial fluid is found between the bones. When you stretch, twist, push, or pull those bones apart, the pressure is reduced on that fluid, and bubbles form and quickly burst - making that familiar "pop."
Research from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine shows that people who crack their back, neck, knuckles or knees generally have healthier joints than those who don't. Well, actually, people who tend to pop their joints are more likely to be more physically active than non-crackers.
So go ahead and crack away. It may be annoying to others, but at least it's not hurting you.
Lipsy
Marni
Tomster
i am so glad to hear this. i have been cracking my knuckles since i was young. i thought for sure i would get arthritis before age 40.
1HA! I love cracking my fingers, toes, neck and back....now I have an excuse too! hahahahahaahahahahahahahah
I'm all in.
2Oh good, I was really worried when I saw the title, I thought I was going to be lectured again to stop. This is GREAT news!
3This IS great news! I was always told that cracking my knuckles would make my fingers fat. I am going to keep crackin' them and keep annoying my co-workers!
4
I am vindicated! I crack my knuckles, back, elbows, knees, neck, & anything else
that will crack & people always looks at me like I'm nuts. I tottaly thought that this was gonna be another lecture too!
5This is good news but it doesnt change the way I feel about the sounds.... gives me the shivers just thinking about it.
6Thanks fit - this is good to know. My husband wakes up and cracks all the knuckles in his hands. It drives me crazy but I also thought he was giving himself arthritis. But now I know he's not.
7I have to crack my wrists every morning. They feel like they're out of place if I don't do it.
8I had a feeling that it was okay when I realized how much my chiropracter cracked my back during my sessions.
9~M~
That is so funny, i have a friend who is such a couch potato and everytime she kneels down or bends her knees they crack like crazy and she thought it was really bad for her and the reason was because she did not do any excersice. I just have to let her know about this great info.
10You will always get the Truth from me!
My shoulders/knees/hips always crack when I'm exercising.
11whoo hoo, im always cracking my back, my knuckles and my hips. im glad im not going to have arthritis by the time im 40
12i know he thinks you're fine and stuff but does he know how to wind you up?
I crack my back and my hip joints daily. Good to know it's not a bad thing. My fiance is always joking I'm going to need hip replacements by the time I'm 35.
13Sweet, crack away
14I love cracking my knuckles and i enjoy doing it to others too. : ) jxrblue
15oooh this is SOO great to hear! my mom has been bugging me on cracking my joints but otherwise im in complete pain. i have stiff shoulders, weak wrists and ankles but i always crack my neck, nuckles, wrists, ankles, hips, back, only for comfort though! wooo good news
16Thanks fit, now I can keep on cracking!
17I think I will take advice from my doctor than believe this as I have arthritis in my toes as a result of a childhood injury
18Oh gosh I am so jeleous of you people who know how to self-adjust your bones! I can do my toes sometimes, but gosh if I could loosen up my neck, at least during headaches, not to mention by back and stuff... myself... what a dream!
19YAY!
My mom always said it would lead to big knuckles, LOL!
20As harsh as it sounds, I wish that it did cause Arthritis because then perhaps people would stop doing it! As someone who has broken multiple bones the noise is not only annoying to me but it is actually nauseating.
21Your information is also not entirely correct as chronic crackers do experience swelling in the joints (though this does not cause pain unless the cracker does not continue with the habit- sounds like a vicious cycle to me), and over a prolonged period of time it ultimately causes weakness of grip in the hands. I know that I am biased but I don't think that it is advisable to encourage a habit that at its very best is just plain annoying.
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