Can Knuckle Cracking Really Cause Arthritis? We Asked the Experts

From ca.sports.yahoo.com

Hearing “snap, crackle, pop!” with no visible sign of the Rice Krispie trio can only mean one thing: snapping joints—likely knuckle cracking, to be more specific. Whether or not the sensation happens voluntarily, you’ve probably wondered why a crinkling sound occurs when your fingers bend a certain way. And you’ve also probably thought: Is knuckle cracking bad for me?

Meet the Experts: Jane Fedorczyk, P.T., P.h.D., C.H.T., F.A.P.T.A., president of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Hand and Upper Extremity Academy and Liza Egbogah BS.c., D.C., D.O.M.P., a posture expert, chiropractor, and myofascial release therapist.

Fear not—we asked experts those burning questions and more, answered below.

Why do knuckles make noise when they crack?

The scientific explanation behind joint cracking, in general, is “still theoretical,” says Jane Fedorczyk, P.T., P.h.D., C.H.T., F.A.P.T.A., president of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Hand and Upper Extremity Academy, and has changed throughout her time in the field. It was once explained as air bubbles collapsing and therefore “popping” within the joint, however, largely thanks to a 2015 study that conducted MRI imaging of knuckle cracking, the process is now believed to be a bit more complex.

In essence: “Your joint is trying to detract or separate,” Fedorczyk begins. That creates space, which is then filled by the joints’ lubricative synovial fluid (made up of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide), adds Liza Egbogah BS.c., D.C., D.O.M.P., a posture expert, chiropractor, and myofascial release therapist. “When this fluid is shifted, it can release gas,” she says—a process known as cavitation. And when that gas hits the joint surfaces, there is resistance, which creates the cracking sound you’re familiar with.

Another potential cause of the sound is known as crepitus, which is the general term for the crinkling of cartilage around the joint, or tendons and ligaments rolling over each other, Egbogah says. (Think: Your bad knee crunching its way up the stairs.) Either way, if you hear the occasional crack, it’s more than likely benign and is “not serious,” Fedorczyk says.

Does knuckle cracking cause arthritis?

There’s a longstanding rumour that persistent knuckle cracking can cause arthritis or other hand problems late in life, but that is a myth. Both Fedorczyk and Egbogah say there is no known evidence that supports a link between the two. One study also examined habitual knuckle cracking’s affect on grip strength, and found it to be null.

Osteoarthritis is characterized by the deterioration of cartilage around the joint, which leads to inflammation, Fedorczyk says. And it’s far more likely to be caused by aging, injuries, or athletic overuse than knuckle cracking, she adds. “There is no scientific evidence of a direct association between knuckle cracking and the development of degenerative cartilage or arthritis,” reiterates Fedorczyk.

Why do some people crack their knuckles more than others?

In Fedorczyk’s experience, she has found that people with hyper-mobility—or extremely flexible joints, per Cleveland Clinic—tend to be the habitual knuckle crackers. Egbogah adds that joint stiffness and tight muscles can also heighten the urge to crack. Constant knuckle cracking may also be considered a compulsive body-focused repetitive behaviour by mental health professionals. “If you’re finding that you need to crack your knuckles often, you would likely benefit from stretching your hands and massaging them,” Egbogah says. “This will help ease joint stiffness and lessen the need to crack.”

Is knuckle cracking bad for you?

Although it’s not proven to cause arthritis, because there’s no proof that knuckle cracking is necessarily good for you, neither Fedorczyk nor Egbogah can advise doing it in excess. “In general, cracking your knuckles occasionally is fine, as it doesn’t promote arthritis,” Egbogah says. “But it is possible to injure your hands while trying to crack your knuckles.” Fedorcyzyk adds: “We certainly don’t want to encourage hyper-mobile movement.”

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/knuckle-cracking-really-cause-arthritis-123000886.html