So how is popping your knuckles different from standing up quickly?

Cracking your knuckles can be a fun habit, but it's not without risks.

Synovial fluid is this lubricant-like substance that's found between your joints. When you stretch out your joint, you're releasing gas, and that gas forms a bubble and it collapses and pops. In order to crack the same knuckle again, you have to wait about 20 minutes for the gas to return back to that fluid. So how is popping your knuckles different from standing up quickly?

The sound you're probably hearing then is the snapping sound tendons make when they slide between muscles or over bones. When a joint moves, the tendon snaps quickly over and makes a popping sound. Is cracking your knuckles safe? Most likely. Donald Unger was kind of a self-described researcher who chose to pop the joints in one of his hands for 60 years, but not the other one. And he wanted to find out if popping your knuckles would actually give you arthritis. After 60 years of doing it, he found that he didn't have any more arthritis in one hand than in the other. But there's still a chance that it's not good for you. One 1990 study did find that cracking your knuckles over a long period of time led to hand swelling and decreased grip strength, but there hasn't been any follow-up research on that.

While the debate about whether or not cracking your knuckles is harmful for your joints continues, there are a few things that we do know for sure. Firstly, the sound you hear when you crack your knuckles is the result of a gas bubble that forms within the synovial fluid of your joint. When you stretch out your joint, you're actually creating negative pressure which causes the gas to expand and eventually collapse, creating the characteristic popping sound.

Despite some claims that cracking your knuckles can lead to arthritis or other joint problems, research has yet to show a definitive link. In fact, as mentioned earlier, one man even went so far as to pop the joints in one of his hands for 60 years while leaving the other hand alone, only to find no difference in arthritis between the two hands. However, it's worth noting that there are some risks associated with cracking your knuckles over a long period of time, particularly when it comes to grip strength and hand swelling.

Another potential risk of cracking your knuckles is the annoyance it can cause to those around you. While some people may find the sound satisfying, others may find it irritating or distracting. If you're in a public place or around people who find the sound unpleasant, it's probably best to refrain from cracking your knuckles.

While cracking your knuckles might not be harmful for your joints, there are other things you can do to keep them healthy. For example, regular exercise can help to strengthen the muscles around your joints and improve flexibility, which can reduce the risk of injury. Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding repetitive motions or activities that put excessive strain on your joints can also help to prevent joint problems.

If you do experience joint pain or stiffness, it's always a good idea to see a healthcare professional for an evaluation. In some cases, joint pain may be a sign of an underlying condition that requires treatment, such as arthritis or a joint injury.

Overall, cracking your knuckles may be a harmless habit for most people, but it's important to be aware of the potential risks and take steps to keep your joints healthy.

So while cracking your knuckles might not be bad for you, there's no guarantee that your popping habit won't annoy the people around you.