Suffering from hip pain: Common questions answered about hip arthritis and replacement surgery

From eu.lansingstatejournal.com

The hip joint can withstand repeated motion and a fair amount of wear and tear. However, despite its durability, with age and use, cartilage in the hip can wear down and over time cause arthritis that leads to hip pain.

The most common type of hip arthritis, called osteoarthritis, occurs when the joint surface cartilage becomes worn away, leaving raw bone exposed.

“As it progresses, osteoarthritis can cause a lot of pain and stiffness, making it difficult for some people to do certain activities, such as walking, standing up straight, and using the stairs that they could once easily do before,” said Dr. Ethan Ruhland, orthopaedic surgeon at Michigan Orthopaedic Centre. “Unfortunately, osteoarthritis isn’t reversible, but it can be treated with different interventions that reduce pain and increase movement.”

I’m not ready for surgery, but I do have pain that is affecting my life. What are my options?

Certain treatments may include activity modifications through physical and occupational therapy, medications, and/or injections.

“For most patients who have mild osteoarthritis, we can look at managing pain and stiffness through activity modification, anti-inflammatory medications — such as ibuprofen or meloxicam — and also explore corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain in the joint,” said Dr. Ruhland. “However, these medicated injections can be short-lasting and should only be used no more than two or three times.” 

Should I wait to have surgery?  

Dr. Ruhland and other orthopaedic surgeons often hear the same thing from their patients: that they can’t do the things they used to. And they want to again.

“When hip pain begins to impact daily activities and limit the enjoyment of those activities, and pain medications and other treatment options are no longer helping, it may be time to discuss hip replacement surgery options,” said Dr. Ruhland.

Am I too old or too young for surgery?

“If you are having worsening pain that is affecting your quality of life, no matter your age, it’s important to not wait to seek treatment,” said Dr. Ruhland.

Dr. Ruhland, who performs minimally invasive hip procedures at McLaren Greater Lansing, explained that the state-of-the art techniques used today allow patients to recover and regain mobility more quickly, meaning gone are the days when a joint replacement meant weeks laid up in bed followed by a slow, drawn-out recovery.

“Our surgical techniques are much less invasive than in the past,” said Dr. Ruhland. “And while results vary for each patient, a majority of our patients can expect to be moving and walking around shortly after surgery, and in most cases, back to daily activities gradually within a few weeks.”

With these upgrades in surgical technology, a return to desired activity is the expectation, as are lasting results, with implants expected to last 20 to 30 years for most patients.

To learn more about McLaren Greater Lansing’s Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Institute, including the latest advances in orthopaedic surgical technology, click here.

To view more topics on health and wellness, click here.

Members of the editorial and news staff of USA TODAY Network were not involved in the creation of this content.

https://eu.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sponsor-story/mclaren-greater-lansing/2024/08/30/suffering-from-hip-pain-common-questions-answered-about-hip-arthritis-and-replacement-surgery/74996742007/ 

September Is Pain Awareness Month

From arthritis.org

Spread the word — September is Pain Awareness Month. The Arthritis Foundation has the resources you need to better understand and manage your pain this month — and every month 

In 2001, the Arthritis Foundation was one of 80 organizations that banded together to launch the first Pain Awareness Month the following year. Every September, we focus attention on the topic of chronic pain and its personal, social and economic impact on the nearly 60 million adults and children in the U.S. living with arthritis. 
 
Everyone has acute pain from time to time, typically from an injury, like cutting a finger or pulling a muscle. Usually, the pain goes away within 30 days or once the injury heals. Chronic pain, on the other hand, persists or progresses, and your body keeps hurting for weeks, months or even years. It's estimated that 100 million people in the United States experience chronic pain. If you have arthritis, you may be one of them.

Arthritis Pain
 
There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related diseases, and not all arthritis pain is alike. It can originate in different areas of the musculoskeletal system, triggering chemical and electrical signals that travel from the affected area and alert your brain that you’re hurt. From there, things get personal. Everyone’s threshold and tolerance for pain is unique.

Coping with ongoing pain can be the hardest part of living with arthritis. It can disrupt every part of your life — and many parts of your life can also affect your pain.

Some Eye-Opening Facts

• Women are more likely to develop chronic pain and often feel pain more intensely than men.
• Almost 90% of people surveyed by the Arthritis Foundation have pain that interferes with their daily lives.
• Arthritis isn’t confined to older adults: 2 out of 3 people living with arthritis are younger than age 65. Hundreds of thousands of kids and teens in the U.S. live with juvenile arthritis or another rheumatic disease.
• Arthritis pain is pervasive and impacts a patient’s physical and mental health. Patient-reported data tells us that 58% of adults with arthritis experience symptoms of depression outside of the general population norm.
• Read more about six factors that affect arthritis pain.

Additional Helpful Resources

• Different types of arthritis can cause different kinds of pain. Likewise, there are also different treatments, both with and without medications. See how arthritis hurts and some treatment options.
• Choose from several pain management episodes of our Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast. From complementary therapies and treatments to lifestyle habits and psychological techniques, discover unique and proven ways to take control of arthritis pain.
• One of the most powerful things you can do to help others living with arthritis is share your story. If you have arthritis, care for someone who does or are making an impact in the arthritis community, your experiences can help someone who may feel alone.
• The way you respond to pain can affect the way you experience it. Learn the psychology behind pain from experts in our Navigating Pain webinar.
• You can effectively manage your arthritis pain without a prescription. Our free e-book, 45 Ways to Tame Pain, can help guide you.
• Connect with others who understand in our Chronic Pain Connect Group, with expert speakers, interactive sessions and engaging activities.
• Our pain management hub offers numerous resources that can help you head off pain, spanning a variety of topics.
• One-on-one support is available in English and Spanish from our Helpline. Call toll-free: 800-283-7800. You can also submit questions through arthritis.org/helpline.

https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/pain-awareness-month

How to Prevent Damage from Rheumatoid Arthritis

From healthcentral.com 

When RA reaches later, more advanced stages, certain changes of the hands and feet become more common. Here’s what you need to know

On top of the joint pain, swelling, tenderness, and stiffness that occurs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there’s a potential complication to have on your radar: changes to your joints (previously referred to as joint deformities).

“There are three things to know about rheumatoid arthritis: It’s autoimmune, it’s inflammatory, and it can be very destructive,” says rheumatologist Sana Haseeb, D.O., an assistant professor at Loyola Medicine and internal medicine physician based in Burr Ridge, IL.

Deformities—which is an outdated term that physicians rarely use anymore in reference to RA—can affect the hands and feet, are most common in advanced disease once inflammatory cells have existed in joints for a long time, leading to damage.

Fortunately, severe joint damage is becoming less common in RA, though it can and does still happen. Learn more about the issues that affect hands and feet with RA, along with treatment and prevention measures.

Causes of Joint Changes with RA

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body's own immune system mistakenly attacks its tissues. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the joints (often small joints, such as those in the hands and feet) are affected.

How so? Inflammatory cells move into the joints and cause inflammation in synovial fluid, which is a thick liquid in between your joints, says Donald Kimpel, M.D., a rheumatologist at UVA Health in Charlottesville, VA. “These inflammatory cells set up shop, causing swelling. The longer inflammation has settled in, the more likely it is to cause joint damage or damage to the ligaments and tendons around the joint,” he says.

With this damage, the disease can wreak havoc on the connective tissues and eat away at part of the bone, which is called an erosion, says Dr. Haseeb. If left untreated, you may see the physical impact of the disease with joints “swaying” or knuckles or fingers twisting in abnormal ways, she says.

These joint setbacks typically show up in later stages of the disease, says Dr. Haseeb. And fortunately, thanks to advancements in medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis, including biologics, joint destruction is becoming less common, she says.

Common Rheumatoid Arthritis Foot Changes

The feet bear the brunt of your weight, and in RA, that can contribute to pain and tenderness along the base of the toes, middle of feet, heels, and ankles, says Dr. Haseeb. “Patients will start to mention that their toes are curling up or extending in ways that are not comfortable,” she says. Wearing shoes can become difficult. Joint issues that may affect the feet include:

Bunions

A prominent and painful bony bump at the base of the big toe, bunions can cause the big toe to angle toward other toes, says Charis F. Meng, M.D., a rheumatologist with Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Although bunions have been shown to be one of the most common foot changes in RA, according to an earlier study, they are also a frequently experienced foot issue among the general population. As such, it’s important to note that having a bunion does not mean you have RA.

Flat Feet

You might also hear this called a fallen arch. In one small study, two out of three people with RA had an arch that was lowered or flattening, making it one of the most common foot problems in RA, per the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2021. It occurs when rheumatoid arthritis damages the talonavicular joint, which helps create the “arch” in your foot; once the joint is damaged, the arch can collapse.

Hammertoe

In hammertoe, the joint in the middle of the toe bends down like a hammer, describes Dr. Meng. Hammertoe can also affect people without RA–in fact, wearing improperly fitting footwear is one of the main causes of hammertoe, according to Mayo Clinic.

Claw Toe

A claw toe is similar to a hammertoe. With claw toes, toes are bent upward at the joint at the ball of the foot, they bend downward at the middle toe joint, and the top toe joint may also curl downward, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Treatments for Arthritis Foot Changes

Pain, stiffness, and destruction of foot joints from RA can significantly impact mobility and quality of life. Managing these changes effectively often requires a combination of treatments tailored to the specific needs of the individual. Here are some common approaches to treating arthritis-related foot changes, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen can help reduce inflammation and pain in the affected joints.

• Corticosteroids: These can be administered orally or through injections directly into the affected joints to reduce severe inflammation.

• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): For rheumatoid arthritis, DMARDs can slow the progression of the disease and prevent joint damage.

• Custom insoles and orthopaedic shoes: Specially designed insoles and shoes with a wide toe box can provide extra support and cushioning, helping to alleviate pain and redistribute pressure on the foot.

• Toe splints or supports: These devices can help correct deformities like bunions or hammertoes and improve alignment.

• Physical therapy: Targeted exercises and stretches can help strengthen the muscles around the foot and ankle, providing better support and reducing pain.

Common Rheumatoid Arthritis Hand Changes

People with RA often describe their hand symptoms as a lack of grip strength, with difficulty holding their coffee mug, gripping a steering wheel, or holding a pen for an extended amount of time, says Dr. Haseeb. Joint damage can make these issues worse. Here are three hand changes that may affect those with RA:

Swan-Neck Joints

With swan-neck fingers, the joint at the base of the finger bends, the middle joint is straight, and the joint at the tip of the finger bends. RA is the most common cause of this deformity.

Boutonnière Joints

If you have boutonnière fingers, the middle joint is bent toward the palm and the tip of the finger joint bends away from the palm. Without treatment, stiffness, swelling, and range of motion problems can become worse, according to StatPearls.

Ulnar Deviation

With this kind of joint damage, “fingers drift toward the pinky side of your hand,” says Dr. Meng. Overtime, your wrist can also move toward that direction, too. This is also called “ulnar drift.”

Treatments for Arthritis Hand Changes

Living with arthritis in the hands requires a proactive and multifaceted approach. By combining medical treatments with physical therapy, lifestyle adjustments, and possibly surgery, individuals can manage symptoms, maintain hand function, and improve their quality of life. There are several options to manage hand issues with RA, many of which are the same as those for managing RA in the feet, according to Dr. Kimpel, such as:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These medications, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, are often used to reduce pain and inflammation in the joints of the hands.

• Corticosteroids: Administered either orally or through injections directly into the joints, corticosteroids can provide significant relief from severe inflammation.

• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): For those with rheumatoid arthritis, DMARDs can help slow the progression of the disease and prevent further joint damage.

• Biologics: These newer medications target specific parts of the immune system to reduce inflammation and prevent joint damage in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

• Hand exercises: Strengthening and stretching exercises can help maintain mobility and reduce stiffness in the hands.

• Splinting: Wearing splints can help stabilize and protect the joints, particularly during activities that put stress on the hands. Splints can also reduce pain by limiting motion in inflamed joints.

• Adaptive devices: Occupational therapists can recommend tools and devices that make daily tasks easier and less painful, such as jar openers, thick-handled utensils, and button hooks.

Surgeries for RA Joint Problems

The treatment options above may make a big difference in your ability to do daily tasks comfortably, making surgery unnecessary. However, if they are not successful, “we might refer more advanced cases to a surgeon, but this is often an end-of-the-road option because surgery can be very invasive,” says Dr. Haseeb. Sometimes, surgery may help reduce pain and improve strength, especially if joint issues are severely limiting your function, but they won’t make hands look like they did before, she says. Ultimately, this will involve a conversation between you and the surgeon to discuss the amount of damage to a joint and weigh the risks and benefits of surgery.

Sometimes, your doctor may recommend a procedure called a synovectomy, which removes inflamed tissue in the joint, says Dr. Meng. “It’s not as common as before, but it’s still done,” she says. Synovectomy can lessen swelling and pain and take some pressure off the joints.

Other surgeries that may be used include joint replacement (where a damaged joint is replaced with an artificial one) and joint fusion (which is when two joints are fused together to improve stability of the joint.) Joint replacement surgery is often more successful in bigger joints (like knees) rather than smaller joints of hands, for instance, says Dr. Kimpel.

How to Prevent Joint Changes in RA

One of the best things that you can do–even if you haven’t been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis—is to talk to your doctor (such as a primary care physician or rheumatologist) about the joint symptoms you are experiencing, including pain, swelling, and redness, along with fatigue and low-grade fever. In addition to a physical and medical history, your doctor may recommend lab testing to confirm RA.

If you have been diagnosed with RA, it’s important to closely follow the treatment plan recommended by your rheumatologist. With more advanced therapeutic options (such as biologics) available, medication can help slow some of this damage down, and potentially prevent it, says Dr. Haseeb.

Takeaways

The terms joint “deformities” is rarely used today in rheumatoid arthritis. Instead, doctors talk about the joint damage or changes that can occur with RA, which are caused by long-term inflammation that damages bone and connective tissue to cause small joints in the hands or feet to bend and twist in ways that they otherwise normally would not. This can lead to a visual change, such as hammertoe, bunions, and swan-neck syndrome, among others. Thankfully, joint damage is becoming less common with the use of more advanced medications to control the disease. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent or limit joint damage in RA.

https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/rheumatoid-arthritis/joint-deformities

Can Neck Pain Be Due to Psoriatic Arthritis?

From healthcentral.com

PsA can be a pain in the neck—literally—due to inflammation of the cervical joints. A mix of medications and exercise can help provide relief 

You probably already know that psoriatic arthritis (PsA) causes joint pain. But what’s less commonly known—unless you are frequently experiencing it yourself—is that the condition can also cause neck pain.

“Psoriatic arthritis could potentially affect the axial skeleton, which includes the cervical and lumbar spine,” says Elena Schiopu, M.D., a professor of medicine in the rheumatology division for the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University in Augusta, GA. The cervical spine consists of the seven vertebrae that make up the neck, while the lumbar spine consists of the five vertebrae that make up the lower back.

When psoriatic arthritis affects the neck and back, it’s sometimes referred to as psoriatic spondylitis or axial arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Statistics vary, but some research shows that up to 70% of people with psoriatic arthritis can also experience damage to the axial skeleton, according to a review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. In only about 5% of cases, people with psoriatic arthritis just experience neck and back pain (i.e., without any additional joint symptoms), per the review.

“One of the features of axial spinal arthritis is that it typically starts in the lower spine and sacroiliac joints—where the spine meets the pelvis—and then later on will also involve the cervical spine,” says Philip Mease, M.D., a clinical professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the director of rheumatology research at Swedish Medical in Seattle, WA.

Determining whether PsA is causing your neck pain can help you and your health care team come up with a plan for treating it, whether that’s through medications, physical therapy exercises, or a combination.

Cause of Psoriatic Arthritis Neck Pain

When neck pain is due to psoriatic arthritis, the most likely culprit is inflammation, which also causes other types of joint pain among people with psoriatic arthritis, says Dr. Schiopu.

Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which occurs when the body attacks healthy tissues by releasing inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. Over time, this can cause damage to the joints, including those of the neck. “In general, inflammatory pain and stiffness gets better with movement and as the day goes by,” says Dr. Schiopu.

Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis Neck Pain

“Neck pain from psoriatic arthritis is nagging and impairing, and interferes with daily functioning,” says Dr. Schiopu. “People notice the pain gets better with movement, but overall, there’s still a loss of range of motion over time.”

Other symptoms of psoriatic neck pain, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology review, include:

• Limited mobility

• Neck (or back) pain and stiffness that lasts longer than 30 minutes

• Neck (or back) pain that improves with activity and worsens after longer periods of inactivity

While axial arthritis involves the entire stretch of the spine, from the head to the neck, back, and tailbone, about 25% to 50% of people with psoriatic spondylitis also have sacroiliitis, which is pain and stiffness specifically in the sacroiliac joints (the joints where the lower spine and pelvis meet), according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology review. With sacroiliitis, the pain typically lasts longer than 20 minutes, and gets worse at night.

                                                                                           Getty Images/magicmine

Psoriatic Arthritis vs Osteoarthritis

Psoriatic arthritis isn’t necessarily responsible for all—or even any—of the neck pain you may be experiencing. “The neck is also a hot spot for degenerative spine disease [like] osteoarthritis,” says Dr. Schiopu.

“A classic place for degenerative arthritis to show up and start to be symptomatic, even in a patient’s 30s and 40s, is at the fulcrum point of the neck, [between the fifth and sixth cervical joints], where the most bending goes when we move our head,” adds Dr. Mease. The condition becomes even more common as you get older: According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 85% of people over the age of 60 are affected by cervical spondylosis, or arthritis of the neck due to joint degeneration.

That’s why it’s important to get the right diagnosis for your symptoms. “When we hear about neck pain in a person with psoriatic arthritis, it’s important for us to obtain imaging, especially MRI imaging, to determine whether there’s immunologic inflammation going on versus degenerative arthritis, which is very common,” says Dr. Mease. An MRI scan can show markers of inflammation in the bones or joints, which can help doctors determine if the neck pain is caused—in part, or in whole—by psoriatic arthritis.

Treatments for Psoriatic Arthritis Neck Pain

The treatments for psoriatic arthritis neck pain follow the same guidelines as treatment for psoriatic arthritis in general, and typically include a combination of medications such as immunosuppressants and anti-inflammatory medications, as well as lifestyle strategies and physical therapy, says Dr. Mease.

Medications

Some of the immunosuppressant medications that are used to treat psoriatic arthritis include traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), such as methotrexate, which broadly suppress the immune system to keep inflammation in check. A newer subset of DMARDs, known as biologics, include drugs such as adalimumab and secukinumab which block inflammation-causing proteins. Yet another recent development, targeted DMARDs called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, include medications such as tofacitinib, which also blocks certain inflammation-causing proteins, according to the Arthritis Foundation. 

These immunosuppressants will only help relieve neck pain that’s caused by psoriatic arthritis, however—they won’t ease the pain that may be caused in part by osteoarthritis. “Let’s say that 50% of a person’s neck pain is due to psoriatic arthritis and 50% is due to degenerative arthritis,” says Dr. Mease. “[Immunosuppressants] aren’t going to help the pain that’s caused by degenerative arthritis.”

To help ease neck pain from a degenerative condition, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications such as acetaminophen.

Lifestyle Strategies

Neck pain can be more common among people who spend a lot of time in front of a computer or other screen, says Dr. Schiopu, who recommends taking frequent breaks from your digital devices and doing some stretches. If you work at a desk, use a high-backed chair to help improve your posture and ease some of the stress on your spine, she notes. If you use a screen in bed, try using a pillow with good neck support, which can help relieve some of the tension you may feel.

Heat or cold therapy can also help, adds Dr. Schiopu. Try taking a hot shower or bath after you wake up to ease any pain and stiffness or apply an ice pack to the area if you’re experiencing inflammation.

Neck Exercises for Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis can affect the joints in the cervical spine, which can cause the nearby muscles to become tight and stiff, says Jonathan Yu, a doctor of physical therapy at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “Joint stiffness can be helped by stretching out some of these muscles, so the muscles can move a little bit better,” he says. “As a result, it can allow for a bit more comfort and relaxation in the joints.”

Here are a few movements to try, from Yu. With any of these exercises, stop if you feel as if you’re in pain. “You should feel more of a stretching sensation rather than a painful sensation,” he says.

Neck Forward Stretch

Starting from a seated or standing position, bend your chin into your chest until you feel a stretch in the muscles in the back of the neck. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat two to three times.

Side Bend Stretch

Starting from a seated or standing position, tilt your right ear toward your right shoulder, stretching out the left side of the neck. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side. Repeat two to three times on each side.

Neck Rotation Stretch

Starting from a seated or standing position, rotate your neck to the right side, then bend the neck toward your armpit. You should feel a stretch in the muscles on the left side of your neck. Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side. Repeat two to three times on each side.

Other Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis

More commonly, psoriatic arthritis causes symptoms beyond neck pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, these can include:

• Eye inflammation (uveitis)

• Foot pain (especially where the tendons and ligaments attach to the bone, such as at the Achilles tendon)

• Joint pain and stiffness

• Lower back pain

• Nail pitting or denting

• Swelling in the fingers and toes

Takeaways

Psoriatic arthritis can affect the cervical and lumbar vertebrae, triggering neck pain (also called psoriatic spondylitis or axial arthritis). This neck pain is caused by inflammation, and while it tends to improve with movement, it can still cause discomfort throughout the day. Osteoarthritis may also be a cause of your neck pain, so it’s important to get the right diagnosis. To ease some of the pain and stiffness, your doctor may prescribe immunosuppressant medication and/or recommend a physical therapist who can show you how to perform certain exercises at home.

https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/psoriatic-arthritis/psoriatic-arthritis-neck-pain

Can knuckle cracking cause arthritis?

From washingtonpost.com

Many people crack their knuckles, which stretches the finger joints

The question:

Is it true that cracking your knuckles can lead to arthritis?

The science:

Knuckle cracking, which stretches the finger joints, is common. People may do it for various reasons — to relieve stress or tension, or simply for the pop. While it may sound destructive, there is no conclusive evidence that it causes serious or lasting harm, including arthritis.

There are no good quality studies that link cracking and degenerative changes in knuckles, or the metacarpophalangeal joints, experts said. “I usually tell my patients there’s no evidence that it’s harmful,” said Michael Pham, a rheumatologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

In a 1998 case report in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology, a physician named Donald Unger tested the myth perpetuated by his own mother, aunts and mother-in-law. He cracked the knuckles on his left hand twice per day every day, leaving the right hand as his control test. After 50 years, his knuckles showed no signs of arthritis and no differences between his left and right hands.

He quipped that the conclusion “calls into question whether other parental beliefs, e.g., the importance of eating spinach, are also flawed.”

There are many types of arthritis, but the one that has been blamed on knuckle cracking is osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease in which the tissues in the joint wear away, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. While injury or overuse can contribute to this kind of tissue damage, it would require excessive weight-bearing and friction on the joint, which does not occur by increasing the space between the joints by popping the knuckles, said Korsh Jafarnia, an orthopaedic hand surgeon at Houston Methodist.

However, there are no rigorous studies that rule out definitively that knuckle cracking is associated with osteoarthritis, said M. Elaine Husni, director of the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Centre at Cleveland Clinic.

What else you should know:

Arthritis may not be a concern, but in rare cases, overzealous knuckle cracking could cause minor injuries such as ligament injuries and joint dislocation, Jafarnia said. In addition, research is mixed on whether the habit can cause other issues. A 1990 study reported that habitual knuckle crackers are more likely to experience hand swelling and lower grip strength, but a 2017 study reported the opposite.

Husni said occasional knuckle cracking is not likely to cause harm, though the effects of habitual knuckle cracking, which she defined as more than about five times per day, is being studied.

Anyone who develops pain or discomfort or experiences an escalation of pain that lasts more than about six weeks, or notices swelling or warmth in a joint should seek medical attention from a primary care physician or rheumatologist, she added.

The bottom line:

There is no conclusive evidence that cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis or other serious or permanent harm.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/08/23/knuckle-cracking-arthritis-joints/