Biology misinformation research project

Does Cracking Your Knuckles Cause Arthritis?

by Emma Roth

er37343@eid.utexas.edu

Claim Cracking your knuckles does not impair function or lead to conditions like arthritis or osteoporosis.

Source https://www.jabfm.org/

Evidence A study of patients 50-89 years old revealed that there is no correlation between knuckle cracking and hand osteoarthritis.

One-page content

Report framework

Topic and Claim

Many people think that popping their knuckles is the sound of "bones cracking," an unnatural habit that will ultimately lead to impaired function and grip. In reality, cracking knuckles causes small bubbles in the synovial fluid between joints to pop.

Source of the Claim

A study of patients 50-89 years old revealed that there is no correlation between knuckle cracking and hand osteoarthritis.

People Potentially Affected

It is impossible to quantify how many people are impacted by urban legends surrounding knuckle cracking. People tend to start cracking their knuckles as a habit or due to temporary joint relief, while they tend to stop when it becomes painful or they fear negative consequencies.

Scientific Evidence

215 participants (135 patients with osteoarthritis, 80 unaffected controls) between the ages of 50 and 89 were analyzed via hand radiographs and questionnaires. The results of the study, after considering both the duration and volume of knuckle crackling, indicated that there is no correlation between habitual knuckle cracking and a later diagnosis of osteoarthritis.

Conclusion

Contrary to the misconception that knuckle cracking impairs hand function and grip, the noisy habit is simply popping bubbles between joints and has not been found to cause long-term harm.

Knowledge Gaps

A limitation of this study is that only adults between 50 and 89 years were examined. A more informative, comprehensive study would consider individuals from a range of cohorts, bettering our knowledge of the lasting impacts of knuckle cracking.