Cracking knuckles can be addictive and studies show that as many as 54 percent of people crack their knuckles. What drives them to crack their knuckle with a “popping” sound? The synovial fluid in our joints serves a similar function as motor oil in a car’s engine, by lubricating our joints as well as reducing friction and preserving our cartilage. Synovial fluid contains various gases including oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.
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When a person cracks his knuckles, the joint capsule is stretched giving room for the gases to be released rapidly in the form of bubbles. The release of these bubbles causes the popping sound and might give a sense of pressure relief from the joints that can alleviate stress in the body. However, to crack the same knuckle again, you have to wait until the gases return to the synovial fluid, which can take up to 20 minutes. Nevertheless, there is always a debate that cracking knuckles cause arthritis. Does knuckle cracking actually cause arthritis? The answer is ‘no’ as studies have found that knuckle cracking does not cause arthritis. Yet, there are still good reasons to stop the knuckle-cracking habit as excessive knuckle cracking can cause reduced grip strength and injuries.[/ihc-hide-content]
