[Lee Stewart]

Cracking Your Knuckles Causes Arthritis

For generations, parents and teachers alike terrorized children with the idea that cracking their knuckles would leave them with brittle, arthritic hands later in life. In reality, there is no connection. The "cracking" is actually bubbles bursting in the synovial fluid that surrounds the knuckles. Cracking knuckles can, however, diminish grip strength — and if you're not sure whether the habit is annoying, just ask the person next to you on the bus.