Myth: When you crack your knuckles, it’s your bones grinding together making that cracking sound.

Fact: The cracking sound does not come from your bones; it comes because of a change in the synovial fluid, the lubricant that bathes the joints. When finger bones are suddenly stretched apart, the space between the joints widens, and an air bubble forms in the synovial fluid. The bubble quickly bursts and makes a sharp sound.

Myth: Cracking of your knuckles may increase the risk of arthritis.

Fact: There is no link between knuckle cracking and arthritis. The arthritis connection is an old wives’ tale.

Myth: Cracking your knuckles can relieve a writer’s cramp.

Fact: This is not a solution for writer’s cramp. Instead bending and stretching out your fingers a few times can help.

Myth: Cracking your knuckles can wound them permanently.

Fact: Knuckle cracking is annoying but will not cause wounds; you are simple releasing the air that has built up in the joint pockets.

Myth: Popping those knuckles does not cause arthritis so you can crack them as long as you wish.

Fact: Even though you may not get arthritis, you may have an increased risk of having swollen joints, and an increased risk of not being able to grab a hold of an object like you used to. You may even damage some of the tissues or ligaments in and around that area while you crack those knuckles too often./

Pic: Leroy Skalstad