Occasionally cracking your knuckles or other joints is very common and usually not harmful. And, contrary to the old wives’ tale,不会引起关节炎.

Cracking a joint can provide a feeling of relief and give you greater motion in a joint. A 2018 study showed that theories of why and how joints crack are still debated scientifically, but advanced imaging technology has helped clarify the process.

Joint cracking may become more noticeable as you age, as some of your cartilage wears away. When cracking is accompanied by pain or swelling, or follows an injury, check with your doctor to see if there is an underlying medical condition.

  • Technically, the cracking, popping, or grating sounds around a joint are known as crepitus, from the Latin word for “rattle.”
  • According to a small 2017 study, knuckle cracking has a reported occurrence of25 percent to 45 percentin the United States.
  • 相同的小型2017年研究above found that people with habit of knuckle cracking were “much more likely to crack other joints in their body.”
  • 不同的小型2017年研究shared that the noise from joint cracking has not been linked to disease.

Joint cracking can have different causes. It’s common and is usually not an indication of a bone health condition. Exactly what causes the cracking or popping noise is the subject of many studies, but it’s still not completely understood.

关节开裂的一些自然原因是：

  • Sounds from muscle activity.随着肌肉的伸展，它会引起关节噪音。例如，在您的工作中伸展，锻炼，跳舞或移动时，肌腱可能会进出。
  • Cartilage loss.This can occur from aging, which can roughen joint surfaces, resulting in joint noise with movement.
  • 关节炎。This can also cause cartilage degeneration and can result in joint noise.

What’s creating that cracking or popping noise isn’t fully known.

A traditional explanation is that pressure on a joint creates tiny bubbles in the synovial fluid, which pop when they form quickly. Your synovial fluid contains oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide and cushions your bones from rubbing against each other.

A 2015 study 使用实时磁铁ic resonance imaging of joint cracking that showed the noise was related to cavity formation in the joint fluid, not collapse of a preexisting bubble. The technical term for this is “tribonucleation,” where two surfaces separate rapidly, leaving a gas cavity.

A 2018 study , however, developed a mathematical model of bubble dynamics and sound that proved consistent with the bubble collapse explanation.

Cracking your knuckles or other joints isn’t “bad,” but it may be annoying to the people around you if you do it frequently. In rare cases, if you’re cracking a joint too hard, such asin your back, you could injure yourself by pinching a nerve or straining a muscle.

According to asmall 2011 study，无论您自己做还是操纵骨骼，开裂过程都可以使您有所缓解压力。

The common myth that you’ll get arthritis in your hands if you crack your knuckles has proven to be just that — a myth — byanother 2011 study. Studies have shown that knuckle cracking doesn’t thin your cartilage and isn’t likely to lead to osteoarthritis.

  • Mindfulness.If you have a habit of cracking your knuckles (or another joint) and want to stop, a first step is mindfulness. Keep track of when and possibly why you crack your knuckles, neck, or back.
  • Move more.A simple solution may be to move more. If you sit or stand a lot in one position, you can get stiff and crack your joints to help the stiffness. Take frequent breaks to move around. Aim to get up at least every half-hour if you sit at a desk all day.
  • Gentle stretching.Another solution is gentle stretching, which can move the synovial fluid around and lubricate your joints. There are动态和静态拉伸for all your joints.Hereare some stretches for your hands.
  • 缓解压力。If stress relief is involved in your joint cracking, try other calming measures, such asdeep breathing,meditation, or a stress ball orfidget toy.
  • Exercise.Try to increase your exercise time to 150 minutes per week. Choose activities that suit your age and lifestyle. Any physical activity, such as housework, gardening, or short walks can be part of your exercise routine.

When joint cracking is accompanied by pain, swelling, or loss of mobility, it’s time to consult a medical professional. It could be a sign that you’ve damaged your cartilage, torn a ligament or tendon, or pinched a nerve in your back. In some cases, it could be a symptom of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

It’s best to find out and treat the underlying condition sooner for the best possible outcome.

Cracking or popping a joint is very common and usually not a symptom of disease. It shouldn’t be a source of worry, unless you have pain or swelling. Then it’s best to contact a health professional to determine the cause.

Theories about the physical mechanisms involved in bone cracking are in dispute.

If your bone cracking is excessive and you want to stop, there are remedies to try. The chief advice of orthopedists is to move more and get your synovial fluid moving.