It seems as harmless as yawning and stretching, but is there a downside to it? Experts give their take
Many of us absent-mindedly crack our knuckles when we feel like stretching or relaxing our fingers. Also, we like that ‘popping’ sound and some of us deep down secretly hope to make heads turn with the volume of the pop! After all, cracking the knuckles is considered a macho thing. And many don’t realise how habituated they are to doing so. But is there any downside to it? We asked health experts to shed light on the matter.
The popping sound
Our knuckles are surrounded by a synovial membrane that forms like a capsule around the ends of the bones. The synovial membrane contains synovial fluid which acts as a lubricant and shock absorber so that the bones do not grind against each other. When one cracks his/her knuckles, it expands the space between the bones creating a sort of negative pressure that draws the synovial fluid into the gap. This drawing of the synovial fluid into the gap is what causes the ‘pop’ sound and feeling when you crack your knuckles.
Stress reliever?
People crack their knuckles because at times, muscles and joints get stiff and cracking their knuckles feels therapeutic for them, says Dr Umesh Shetty, orthopedic surgeon, Aviva Hospitals. “It’s a myth that cracking the knuckles relieves stress. People crack knuckles because they feel like doing so,” says Dr Anvi Shah, senior physiotherapist, Aviva Hopitals, who adds that out of 10 patients, four are into the habit of cracking knuckles. It’s commonly seen among individuals who have sedentary jobs using the computer or laptops for long hours.
Cracking knuckles does not lead to arthritis
Now here’s some good news. Contrary to the popular myth, cracking knuckles does not lead to arthritis. “A lot of people come to us asking whether cracking knuckles can lead to arthritis and the answer is no. There is no evidence to support this,” opines Dr Shah.
Is it good or bad?
“Anything done within moderation is not harmful. Repeated cracking of the knuckles puts pressure and could damage the ligament tissue. There will be tissue trauma and joint laxity will be noticed,” says Dr Shetty. Though cracking of knuckles in the long run has no link to arthritis, can it impair hand function by causing swelling of the hands and reduce one’s grip strength? Dr Shah disagrees with this as there is no definite proof for it. However, she says that cracking the knuckles once a day is alright but avoid more than two to three times daily.
How to break the habit?
Dr Shah’s advice to people wanting to break their habit of cracking knuckles is indulging in plenty of movements. Exercising the joints, doing yoga and even swimming can help.
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