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The Knuckle Popper

Knuckle cracking is the most common of all joint sounds. Most of us have heard (often from our moms!) that it will lead to arthritis, or possibly worse. When researchers dismissed this claim a few years ago, some people felt they could begin to crack at will, but medical experts say that notion may be misguided.

“While there is no evidence that cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis or cause any change that can be measured with x-ray, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good idea,” says Raymond Brodeur, DC, PhD, adjunct faculty of osteopathic manipulative medicine at Michigan State University in East Lansing. One study showed that habitual knuckle cracking (done for an average of 35 years) led to significantly weaker grip strength and a higher incidence of joint swelling. “Weaker grip strength does have an effect on daily living — for example, it would make opening a child-proof container a lot more difficult,” he says.