Are Cracking Knuckles Related To Joint Problems?
Yes. However, the medical truth is that we re not sure whether frequently cracking knuckles is a cause or a symptom! For years, common wisdom has held that cracking knuckles as a nervous habit in your younger years can lead to arthritis down the road. However, medical science has yet to confirm this idea. No link between cracking knuckles and arthritis has been established at all, so there s no cause for concern on that front if you crack knuckles regularly. However, people who crack knuckles as a frequent and consistent habit do show some long-term damage, like minor soft tissue damage, and below-average grip strength. It hasn t yet been established whether cracking knuckles causes this damage. More studies are required to determine whether people who feel the need to have their knuckles crack frequently are creating unnecessary ligament stress that causes damage, or whether the desire to crack is an attempt to ease ligament stress which is already present.
