Should you crack your knuckles?

If you have ever been chastised for cracking your knuckles, take heart! This common habit will not destroy your hands. In fact, it may help your fingers feel a sense of relief.

“There’s a common misconception that if you crack your knuckles, you’re going to develop arthritis,” says Mala Kaul, M.D., a rheumatologist at Piedmont. “But the truth is, you won’t.”

What happens when you crack your knuckles?

“When you crack your knuckles, you’re basically releasing air out of the joints,” Dr. Kaul says.

Synovial fluid between finger joints cushions movement and allows pain-free motion. Air bubbles form in joint fluid, and cracking knuckles produces a distinct popping sound caused by collapsing those small bubbles.

Can cracking your knuckles be dangerous?

Knuckle cracking is harmless, but if pain or swelling develops, stop the habit promptly and consult your doctor for evaluation.

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