Does cracking bones lead to arthritis?

Question

My son has this habit of cracking his knuckles and other joints, and my mother always warns him that he'll get arthritis because of it. Is there any truth to this old wives' tale, or is it harmless?

Vivek Murthy · Accepted Answer

Actually, my orthopedist told me that the sound you hear is just gas bubbles popping in the synovial fluid of your joints. He clearly said there is no scientific evidence linking this habit to arthritis. However, if the cracking is accompanied by pain or swelling, then you must get it checked.

Pooja Hegde · Answer

I have heard mixed things about this, but mostly people say it is safe. With my PCOS, I already deal with joint inflammation sometimes, so I try to avoid forcefully cracking my fingers just to be on the safer side. If your joints hurt, please check with a doc.

Kabir Dhillon · Answer

It doesn't cause arthritis, but as someone who lifts weights, I can tell you that joint health depends more on your strength. Make sure you are getting enough calcium, Vitamin D, and doing strength training to keep your joints stable.

Neha Joshi · Answer

I was reading about this on a medical blog last week because my knuckles pop all the time! Apparently, some scientist even popped the knuckles of only one hand for fifty years to test this, and he never got arthritis in either hand. So it seems perfectly harmless.

Siddharth Verma · Answer

Don't worry, I used to panic every time my knees or knuckles made a cracking sound when I stood up. I thought my bones were grinding away, but a physio explained it is just pressure changes in the joint. It is completely normal and won't give you arthritis.

Does cracking bones lead to arthritis?

5 answers

Consult a orthopedist

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