We all hear people say, "Don't crack your knuckles! It will give you arthritis!” But is this an old-wives’ tale or is there some truth to this? Afterall, it does seem like the joint becomes stressed repeatedly.
Before we can decide we should see what is happening
in the joints when that popping happens. Gases are continuously dissolved in this
fluid. This capsule is stretched when you crack your knuckle and lowers the
pressure inside the joint. This creates a vaccum that becomes filled with the
gases previously dissolved in the synovial fluid. A “bubble” is formed which
then bursts and creates the popping sound.
These gases take a while to re-dissolve which explains why you cant re-crack
your knuckles immediately after.
However, there is no evidence cracking your knuckles does any damage or cause complications later. The only reports of injury come from over stretching ligaments or dislocating tendons. A study did find that habitual knuckle crackers may have reduced grip strength. So for now there has not been any link found in popping your knuckles and arthritis. Although, there have not been many studies done on this subject either. I would not be surprised if in the future this link may be found.
http://www.hopkins-arthritis.org/arthritis-news/2007/knuckle-cracking-and-arthritis.html
http://osteoarthritis.about.com/od/osteoarthritis101/f/crack_knuckles.htm
ReplyDeleteThis website suggests that cracking our knuckles does not cause our joints to actually develop into arthritis, but mentions some wear and tear damage of constantly cracking will cause a lower grip-strength and low hand swelling. I will admit, I think the author explained the physiology of our knuckles thoroughly, but no mention of why biochemically our white blood cells attack the cartilage. Where do we detect the difference from a nice refreshing crack to a ouch my WBC are just out of control. Although, this author is pretty convinced that cracking your knuckles will never translate into arthritis she leaves the article,"Study Conclusion," with possible reasons the start researching the link between the two.
I have to admit, I crank my knuckles an inordinate amount of times per day. I do this out of habit now and have been doing this for as long as I can remember now (I am 24). I hear people tell me all this time that I'll get arthritis in the future doing this, but I'm not convinced. The explanation as to what is happening while cracking knuckles makes perfect sense to me, yet I'd still like to know a possible reason for the WBCs attacking the cartilage. If there is any truth to this, then I've probably already "dug my grave" as far as arthritis in my hands is concerned.
ReplyDeleteThe website you provided I believe explains the physiology of knuckle cracking very well, I will admit that I have been curious about why your knuckles make a "cracking" sound when you crack them but have been to lazy to actually look it up, so this was a good post in my opinion. Furthermore, as far as the comment that suggests frequent knuckle cracking can cause damage to the ligiments or dislocation of the tendons makes me wonder if this is a result of the method of cracking one's knuckles. I wonder this because I have seen people crack their knuckles in different ways and perhaps dislocated tendons or damaged ligiments may be a result of how one does it, as opposed to the action itself. Lastly, I would just like to pose the question, how did cracking your knuckles get associated with getting arthritis? I mean, back in the day when no one knew what caused them to have inflammation and pain in their hands as they got older, I suppose assuming that the "cracking" sound your knuckles made after you cracked them was somehow thought to be deteriating the bones in your hands, and was thus thought to be how one got arthritis in the hands. That's just one possible theory though. Interestingly enough however, this does not explain how one gets arthritis in the knees or other joints of the body, I wonder if old wives tales exist for arthritis in other portions of the body besides the hands?
ReplyDeleteI think cracking your knuckles in your hands versus your joints are two separate things. I believe, or at least I do, people crack their knuckles as some type of "stress relief." It's bad for you just like cracking your neck is not advertised as healthy. I do believe cracking your knuckles continuously does something, but what is the question. A little off topic, I know so forms of martial arts practice board breaking by fracturing their bones, nothing to extreme just hairline, to regenerate stronger bones. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/health/19really.html This might but a weak article but I like how it just explains the common conception I think. Maybe cracking your knuckles to the bone can thicken your hand and provide stronger knuckles, like the HULK!!!
ReplyDeleteI frankly crack my knuckles in unconscious state one or two times a day. I also have read Guinness World Record for most joints cracked continuously. It said that doctor could not find any symptoms of arthritis or thickening his joints. However, doctor did suggest that it would cause to wear out his cartilage. Therefore, maybe it does not really have effect with arthritis but faster way of wearing out the cartilage? I know it makes cool sound especially when you are around the people, but does not seem to have great effect on arthritis.
ReplyDeleteHere is some articles from pubmed about cracking knuckles.
1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21383216
2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1130029
Mostly seems like not clear analysis of correlation between arthritis and cracking knuckles. :)