Health Facts and Fiction
Knuckle Cracking Will Give You Arthritis
How true is the claim? It's not. The most common form of arthritis, an inflammation inside the joints, is osteoarthritis, which affects 21 million Americans. It's caused by such factors as genetics, obesity, and a history of sports injuries.Why it gets repeated: The cracking sound makes some people shudder, and it makes sense to think that popping joints would lead to joint problems. In fact, while cracking won't lead to arthritis, it isn't smart. By pulling on your fingers, you create tiny nitrogen bubbles in the joints. The bubbles then burst, making the popping sound. People who push down on their knuckles are snapping their tendons over bony spots. Both of these, done repetitively, can irritate the tendons.
Bottom line: You won't bring on arthritis with knuckle cracking, but kicking the habit may still help you avoid achy hands.
Most Popular Galleries
Hot Topic
“Infertility: It’s something that 7.3 million American of women will experience (that translates to 1 in 8 couples), yet many
people still don’t see their doctor at the appropriate time or even feel...”
More From
Psst! It’s National Infertility Awareness Week
Advertisement
What's Hot
When it's time to celebrate, plan an unforgettable bash with a creative and easy-to-throw-together theme.
Memorial Day, often known as the kickoff to summer, is the perfect time to host ...
from TheNest Blog » house & home
Stroke victims are more likely to make a better recovery if they are given a ne...
from FOXNews.com
A new kind of design competition in New York has just caught our eye. A new Metr...
from CasaSugar
Talkshow titan Oprah Winfrey has bitten the bullet and finally listed the grand ...
from Stylelist Home
A great cookbook is like a good friend: it is ever-present, reliable and trustwo...
from Kitchen Daily on Huffingtonpost
No, it's not copper. Nope, not steel either. No, it's definitely not wood. Give...
from Houzz
