“Does cracking my knuckles weaken my bones?”
I have a habit of cracking my knuckles. I've always heard this can weaken my bones but I've been doing it all my life. Is it true?
11 Answers
OrthopedistCrackingjoints
There is no evidence that cracking knuckles causes any harm.
Not to my knowledge.
Cracking your joints does not damage the joints and does not weaken your bones. It does not cause arthritis either.
No, cracking knuckles is simply crating vapor bubbles in the joint. It would not harm the bones.
No
No, it is not true, it will not weaken the bones, just creating negative pressure in the joint and it makes a pop!
No it does not. You are safe to continue if it makes your hands feel better and more mobile. Thank you for your question.
No, it does not.
Nabil A Ebraheim
Orthopedist
It does not weaken the bone
No that is a wives tale. It can however make the joints hypermobile which can lead to osteoarthritis.
James W. Cahill
Orthopedist
This is a great question. It does come up frequently. Knuckle cracking most certainly does not weaken your bones. People in the past thought that knuckle cracking lead to a higher risk of arthritis and cartilage damage of the joints in the fingers and hand. This has been proven to be false. That said, people who crack their knuckles with a certain degree frequency do report a level of weakness in the hand. In addition, people who crack their knuckles with frequency solicit frequent unqualified medical advice from friends and acquaintances. After reading my answer, you may feel free to tell them that they are categorically wrong and to mind their own business.
