People Are Just Learning What Actually Happens When You Crack Your Knuckles

Many of us grew up hearing various myths from friends, parents, and teachers, like the idea that eating carrots enhances night vision or that swallowed fruit seeds might sprout inside us. 

Among these, One notorious myth was that cracking your knuckles would lead to arthritis later in life.

However, a recent video circulating on Reddit has shed light on this old wives' tale, offering a scientific explanation for the phenomenon of knuckle cracking. 

Originating from a Vox YouTube short and shared on the 'damnthatsinteresting' board, the video explains what actually happens when we hear that familiar popping sound.

According to the narrator in the video, which includes footage of knuckles being cracked in an MRI machine, 

"There is a lubricant-like substance found in between your joints called Synovial fluid."

"It contains dissolved gases, mostly CO2."

"Those gases form into bubbles when you create a pressure change by yanking on your finger, and then right away those bubbles partially collapse, causing the sound we all know and hate."

"You have to wait about 20 minutes for the remaining bubbles to dissolve before you can crack your knuckles again."

The video also distinguishes this sound from the pop heard when standing up quickly, which is usually caused by tendons snapping as they slide over bones.

"This is different from the pop you hear when you stand up quickly."

"That sound is most likely from the tendons snapping when they slide over bones.

Watch the video here:

Addressing the safety of this habit, the video gives the example of Dr. Donald Unger, who for 60 years cracked the joints in one hand to test if it would cause arthritis. 

"So is a knuckle cracking habit safe? Probably, Donald Unger was a doctor who decided to pop the joints in one of his hands for 60 years to find out if it would give him arthritis."

"It didn’t, and that has been confirmed by other studies. So it doesn’t seem like knuckle cracking is harming you, it is just harming the people who can hear you," the narrator explains.

Social media users expressed relief and joy upon learning that their childhood habit of knuckle cracking wasn’t harmful. 

Comments ranged from gratefulness for the assurance to humorous reflections on their own cracking habits. 

"Thank God it’s not doing damage… I'd be screwed," a user admitted. 

While another shared, "Popping my toes is my favorite thing to do. After watching this I was compelled to crack everything lol." 

Others simply expressed contentment with continuing their daily routine: "Good to know, I do this daily!! Carry on."

One Reddit user humorously remarked on the newfound freedom: "Cool. Now I can crack my knuckles, wrists, neck, shoulders, upper back, pelvis, knees, ankles, and toes in peace."

Despite the reassurance that knuckle cracking is generally harmless, it's important to note that, like any activity, it could potentially cause damage if done incorrectly or excessively.