Whether it’s a nervous habit or a stress reliever, knuckle cracking has been the topic of many debates throughout the years. Scientists have discovered that it isn’t harmful and that it can even increase joint mobility and flexibility in the short term. Overtime, knuckle cracking has been linked to slight joint inflammation and loss of grip strength. When a knuckle cracks, the bubbles in the synovial fluid of the joint partially collapse, forming the “crack” sound in the knuckle. Scientists have conducted numerous studies to find out if this movement is connected to arthritis, and concluded that it is in no way related. Although there are multiple facts about the effects of knuckle cracking, the true reason that people crack their knuckles is because it stimulates nerve endings that relax the muscles around joints. Even though knuckle cracking can cause slight joint inflammation later in life, knuckle cracking is helpful for the body because it increases joint flexibility and doesn’t cause any major damage. …show more content…
Such benefits include increased joint mobility and flexibility. Increased mobility in the joints can allow for more movement and control over joints. “In fact, after someone cracked a knuckle, it had an increased range of motion compared with knuckles they hadn't cracked” (Cohen). This quote explains that joints that had not been cracked appeared to be stiffer than joints that had been cracked. Cohen later goes on to explain, “there's something about lowering the pressure that allows for more laxity”. The decrease in pressure on a joint when it is cracked causes there to be more room in the joint. The extra room allows for more movement inside the joint and more flexibility in the fingers. In the short term, knuckle cracking has been proven healthy to be