Cracking Knuckles: Will This Cause Arthritis?

This is a frequent question our patients ask. It used to be thought that cracking one's

knuckles could lead to arthritis, or degeneration of the finger joints. Research has since

debunked this myth.

The sound of knuckle cracking is actually the formation of a gas bubble, which immediately

collapses and creates the sound we hear and feel. This is what occurs in the

spine during an adjustment, or in other joints of the body, leading to the audible we

hear.

On occasion you may not have a popping/cracking sound when getting adjusted or having spinal manipulation performed. While it can be a satisfying sound, in addition to offering other local benefits, it does not necessarily suggest the spinal manipulation was performed well or not.

All in all, the good news is cracking one's knuckles and other joints may not be as bad as we were once told. However, pain during the process of cracking your knuckles or other joints is not normal and should be evaluated by a chiropractor or outpatient physical therapist!