Does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis? - Big Questions - (Ep. 214)

A weekly show where we endeavor to answer one of your big questions. This week, seanjedi97 asks, "Does popping your knuckles really cause arthritis?"

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[RDSk]

Anyone remembers "Why do joints, pop, and crack?" from SciShow? xD

[inademv]

1:56 instructions unclear. am now addicted to heroin

[jackofallspades]

I will forever think of knuckle cracking as "knuckle farts."

[ljmastertroll]

Knuckle cracking is the original digital music.

[marvicklentz]

I keep doing it, Iam badass. Haha. My question for next week is: How does invisible signals work? Like wi-fi signals.

[ze_rubenator]

Causes arthritis? No.
Socially obnoxious? Yes.

[littlestjenna]

I'm calling it knuckle farting from now on

[LetsTakeWalk]

*cracks knuckles* I've been waiting for this video.

[tymime]

I know some people who hate the sound of it. Can't imagine why, it's such a soft sound...
And anyway, I've been doing it for over ten years (since I was a preteen) and have yet to experience any problems... it relieves stiffness anyway.

[RedJoker]

anyone else cracked or felt like cracking there knuckles when reading the title or when Craig did it? I did.

[mxskmg]

Wait, I'm confused. Should I or should I not keep doing crack?

[PsychoStain]

When he said "Crack away... but don't do crack!" I literally laughed SO hard!!!

[GoldVixen]

I've had to deal with misinformed people warning me not to pop (or crack) my knuckles and most other joints in my body for most of my life. Thing is, that some people tend to have more gas build up in their joints and so popping them is a necessity, otherwise the joints get very stiff and painful. Usually this gas build up is genetic, so parents tend to pass this onto most of their children. I know that if I am unable to pop certain joints, such as fingers, back, toes, knees, neck, and occasionally hips, then they get very painful and they get very stiff and in some cases the joint is unable to bend until it is popped. That being said, you should never force a joint to pop, especially if it's your neck. If you feel the need to have a jointed popped but it doesn't do so easily, you might want to consider consulting with a Chiropractor, or consider if you're trying to pop your joints simply because your family or friends are doing it. Some joints are difficult to pop because of tight muscles, so seeing a massage therapist and/or Chiropractor would be a good idea. Just remember never to force a pop, because that can lead to all sorts of problems.

[HeyThereItsLara]

I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis when I was two years old. I'm now almost 17 and crack my knuckles multiple times a day, so does my rheumatologist (arthritis Doctor) and the hand surgeon that my mother works with

[eeromyllyniemi]

why does your mouth feel cool when you eat mints or cough drops?

[PixelOverload]

I'm curious about the swelling and weak grip correlation found in that one study. I don't find myself to have much swelling but I have noticed my grip getting weak. I'd postulate however that the weak grip is actually causing the knuckle cracking behaviour rather than the other way around (as many would assume), just from personal experience.

All my joints tend to crack a lot, intentionally and spontaneously (mostly the latter), and all my joints tend to feel rather weak when tested. However, when I give 'em a good crack I tend to regain a little strength in them for awhile. Maybe that's just an effect of un-stiffening the joints, maybe it's a placebo, but it definitely seems to help.

[spectre]

With me, it actually ENLARGED my knuckles, especially the ones connected to my ring, middle and pointer fingers on both hands. But then again, that's just my case.

[ddduckyyy]

I have never cracked my knuckles (intentionally) and I am 13....however whenever I kneel down my knees crack CRAZY loud. I guess pretty much everything cracks on me. Stretch my arms, shoulders crack. Kneel down, knees crack. Everything cracks, except my knuckles.

[dice]

What if I crack my spine and neck ? :D I actually do.

[Darticus]

"So crack away...( but don't do crack)" xD