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The Real Deal on Cracking Your Kuckles
What's really happening when you "crack" your knuckles is that you are either pushing the joint back into or out of its normal position. Joints are the meeting points of two separate bones which are held together by connecting tissues and ligaments. A thick, clear lubricant (made mostly of carbon dioxide and some nitrogen) called synovial fluid is found between the bones. When you stretch or pull your finger to get that desired popping noise, you are causing the bones to pull apart. Pressure is reduced on the synovial fluid and bubbles form that quickly expand and then burst - which is why you get that noise.
Does Knuckle Cracking Lead to Arthritis?
Not everybody's joints crack. Some people have a larger separation between the bones and some people can't relax enough to allow the bones to separate. If you can crack and your mom tells you, you're going to get arthritis, she's just yanking your chain. There is no scientific evidence that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis. However, it can't be good to repeatedly push a joint beyond its normal physical range. Besides that, it's annoying. Cracking your knuckles can cause a decrease in your grip but unless you're signing any multi-million dollar contracts as a pitcher, it's not worth giving up. But it's still annoying.
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