What happens to your hands if you crack your knuckles

When the joint cracks, the bubbles of gas coalesce in the joint and are suddenly released by the movement that produces the crack. Synovial fluid rushes back in where the gas had been. This sudden release of the gas makes the relatively enormous popping sound. This theory was finally supported by medical evidence when a person cracked his knuckles in an MRI. The gas can be seen and is seen to dissipate. Subsequent research showed within the extreme detail of an MRI that the bubbles are actually still present after the crack.

Still, further study involving a mathematical model showed that most bubbles were dispersed and they were sufficient to make the familiar sound.

Acoustics is a measured science that is not open to much interpretation. The size of the gas bubbles released when the finger joint is cracked within the structure of the finger gives rise to what sounds like a disproportionately loud sound. There is no evidence that cracking your fingers is harmful. People who frequently crack their knuckles do not get arthritis more than people who do not crack their knuckles unless there happens to be another condition present like tendonitis or arthritis.

Pain in the finger joints when you crack your knuckles or any pain in the hands , wrists, or shoulders needs to be addressed by a specialist who diagnoses and treats conditions affecting these areas. The board-certified hand surgeons and specialists at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder practice at locations throughout Maryland. Our main office number is Submit Comment.

Made By Aura. Book on Facebook. Stanley Chiropractic Clinic. Get in Touch. Chiropractic , Joints. Mike Stanley. Related posts:. What Do Sports Chiropractors Do? Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Previous Post. Have Questions? Instead, Ellison writes, knuckle crackers are creating a gas bubble in their synovial fluid, which is responsible for lubricating joints.

Researchers haven't yet figured out whether "the bubble's formation or subsequent pop" causes the cracking sound that accompanies knuckle cracking, according to Ellison. However, Rod Oskouian, a neurosurgeon who conducts research on the habit, said the mechanics involved in knuckle cracking are comparable to those involved in spine adjustments conducted by chiropractors, which produce a similar sound.

Although knuckle cracking may sound like bones popping, experts have long said the habit likely won't hurt anyone. In fact, Robert Shmerling, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School , in a blog post wrote that knuckle cracking "is probably harmless," citing evidence showing the practice did not result in a higher incidence of arthritis. But a recent review of research on knuckle cracking led by Oskouian and his colleagues suggests the habit may not be as "harmless" as Shmerling concluded.

For the review, Oskouian and his colleagues examined more than 26 papers focused on the mechanisms and effects of knuckle cracking. Overall, the researchers that found the papers did not show a reliable association between knuckle cracking and arthritis—and at least one study published in , which involved 30 participants, offered evidence suggesting the practice may help increase a person's range of motion, Ellison writes.

However, the researchers also found evidence suggesting knuckle cracking may be harmful for at least some people, including those who engage in the practice frequently, Ellison writes.

For example, a study conducted by Turkish scientists in that involved 35 people who cracked their knuckles more than five times a day found that, although the practice didn't appear to affect grip strength, it was associated with the metacarpal cartilage's thickening—which is a potential early sign of damage that could result in osteoarthritis, according to Ellison. In addition, a separate study published in that involved participants older than 45, including 74 participants who were considered habitual knuckle crackers, found that although participants who cracked their knuckles did not have higher rates of arthritis, they were more likely to have swollen hands and weaker grips, Ellison reports.