Doc, Will cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis?

I am asked this question almost daily, sometimes several times per day. In all honesty, there is no evidence that cracking your knuckles inflames the joints and leads to arthritis. The cracking causes the bones to pull apart, forming a gas bubble and separating the adhesive seal in the joint, similar to a pellet gun and C02. The gassy audible, just like those heard in the spinal joints during adjustments, are Nitrogen.

About one quarter of the people in the U.S. crack their knuckles and might begin to lose their grip a little. Constant cracking can weaken the fingers by way of laxity. Depending on your point of view, its more of a nervous habit.

Dr. George Langlitz III, DC CCSP
Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician
Certified Whiplash Traumatologist
Certified Disability Evaluator
Board Eligible Certified Rehabilitation Doctor
Trained in Accident Collision Reconstruction and Trauma Biomechanics

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