You’ve probably been told that cracking your knuckles would lead to arthritis. Or you’ll develop monstrous hands like a creature in an old horror movie. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you crack your knuckles, the team at Vox has created a video that’s here to help. As Vox explains, the fluid around your knuckles is called “synovial fluid,” and the popping sound you hear when you crack your knuckles is merely the sound of gas bubbles in the fluid collapsing. This is distinct from the popping sound you might hear from your knees when you stand up quickly, which is tendon moving over muscle and bone.
According to the video, one man cracked only the knuckles of one hand for sixty years, but not the other. He reported that neither hand was more arthritic than the other. Please share this with family and friends!