does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis in your hands?  

I don't think it does cause arthritis, because if it did,my daughter would be full of it by now. She has cracked her knuckles since she was a little kid. I think that might be a wives tale just to get kids to stop doing it. I was told as a teenager that hickeys caused cancer.. so I think those are just things adults tell kids to get them to stop doing stuff.

No, there is no evidence that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis.

* Cracking your knuckles wears away the cartilage between the joints over a long period of time. This is one of the causes of arthritis. Other causes of arthritis are completely unrelated, like for example, you can inherit it from your parents, or get it because of a disease like Lupus. So, I guess if you might get it anyway, and you might not know if it was your's or your parents fault, go ahead and crack away.

* Don't listen to those people that tell you cracking your knuckles will cause you to have arthritis. At this point it's just a speculation, not wild, but certainly not founded on anything but misconceptions. All you're doing is playing with the physiology and chemistry of your body a bit. There are good and bad sides to this. Here's a rather complete site if you want to read more (which keeps me from typing it all out): howstuffworks.

Morning, oneeandonemakesix. I am not so sure about it, but I often hear people say that cracking your knuckles does no good to you and that it will cause arthritis. I think that it is better to accept this otherwise people wouldn't say so. This saying must be based on their experience, I guess? Anyway, it is time for you to have a good rest after working nine hours at your computer.

I just finished the terminology part of my medical billing studies, and there was a section on arthritis, and in it there were statements saying that it does not cause arthritis, contrary to popular belief. The popping, or cracking, sound is from the bubble of fluid, located where the two bones meet at the knuckles, bursting as the knuckle is manipulated (yes, it reforms again). But even though cracking the knuckles doesn't cause arthritis, it can cause problems later on from the continual trauma caused to the joint such as osteoarthritis which is caused by wear and tear on the joints. Here's a link to a page that I found on the 'net that you can check out...it says some of what I just said and a little bit more: http://healthlibrary.epne...

My mama told me the exact same thing, and I told it to my kids too. Now when I show them this, they will be cracking their knuckles all the time just to get on my nerves! LOL

I haven't heard of a particular medical study that proves cracking your knuckles can give you arthritis. Arthritis are brought by so many factors including stress on that particular joint, and I must say that cracking your knuckles does give a lot of stress to the joints the the cartilage that's in them. I guess there is some truth to that. It's better to keep away from cracking knuckles.

I've heard of this too when I was a kid but I did it anyways to look cool with the other kids who did it too and I do have some pain but not much but my knuckles are bigger and it's hard to get a ring over them and fit right once on. I wish I never cracked my knuckles but I did so I have to live with it. And yes I still do every now and then because they do get locked up and I do get relief from it but I guess once you start you'll never really stop.

Cracking your knuckles has not been proven to cause arthritis. The experts say that that is an old wives' tale. When you crack your knuckles all you are doing is releasing the air pockets in your joints. Injury can cause arthritis, and over use can cause arthritis.

I have heard that but I think its an old wise tale to be honest with! I have never heard any studies to back it up!

Rachel

well i have no idea. may be not. but i dont think its a good idea to keep doing that. you should stop that before it dames your joints though.

They said it. But I have no proofs yet. I used to crack my knuckles especially when I was a meeting. Inoticed, my knuckles gets bigger. Arthirits? Well, I don't experience it so far...and hopefully not anymore!