A physician has finally clarified whether cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis, addressing the ongoing social media debate.
The satisfaction of cracking knuckles is undeniable, yet many were advised to refrain from doing so during childhood, based on warnings from parents.
Various myths about knuckle cracking circulate online, including bizarre beliefs like it breaking the bones of deceased relatives or the clicks indicating the number of people who love you.
While these ideas are quite far-fetched, the belief that knuckle cracking could cause arthritis seemed credible to some.
This notion was often reinforced by parents who cautioned against knuckle cracking due to its perceived arthritis risk.
Recently, a doctor has provided clarity on this matter.
Dr. Robert Klapper, an orthopaedic specialist, explained to Cedars Sinai: “The noise of cracking or popping in our joints is actually nitrogen bubbles bursting in our synovial fluid.”
This synovial fluid acts like ‘motor oil in a car’s engine’, reducing friction in joints, according to Dr. Klapper.
The nitrogen bubbles within the fluid typically require 20 minutes to reform, meaning you need to wait that long before cracking again.
Dr. Klapper assured: “Cracking your knuckles does no harm at all to our joints. It does not lead to arthritis.”
Despite the noise, the doctor confirmed that knuckle cracking does not cause any damage.
Dr. Mutahir Faran, known as @madmedicine on TikTok, supported these findings in a video shared on the platform.
“A lot of people think that cracking your knuckles is going to lead to arthritis but that’s actually not true,” he noted.
“When you crack your knuckles you’re actually popping the bubbles that are formed in your joints in your synovial fluid.”
Dr. Donald Unger once conducted a study on this topic, which Dr. Faran discussed in the video.
He explained: “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.”
In conclusion, cracking knuckles does not cause arthritis, contrary to popular belief.
Looks like parents might have been overly cautious after all.