# Cracking your knuckles

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-your-knuckles/137045>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 16, 2002, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-your-knuckles/137045 "2002-11-16T17:39:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Steak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Steak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steak)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-your-knuckles/137045/1 "2002-11-16T17:39:30Z")

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Does cracking your knuckles do any damage to your hands? As a musician this concerns me. I’ve heard numerous arguments both supporting and denying this argument.

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**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-your-knuckles/137045/2 "2002-11-16T17:45:01Z")

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Already discussed [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45030&highlight=knuckles) and by Cecil [here](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_305b.html).

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-your-knuckles/137045/3 "2002-11-16T17:47:57Z")

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I’ve been cracking mine for nearly 30 years and have suffered no ill effects. I’ve read on this subject quite a lot and haven’t seen anything to indicate that permanent damage could occur. As long as there’s no pain when you do it, you should be okay.

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**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-your-knuckles/137045/4 "2002-11-16T17:57:21Z")

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Since the original question’s been answered can I do a small hijack?

I can the first two fingers of each hand pretty much indefinately. Feeling around while doing so I’m pretty sure it’s the first joint cracking rather than the knuckle. Since Cecil says you should only be able to make a crack every 15 minutes or so what’s making the sound?

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-your-knuckles/137045/5 "2002-11-16T21:19:59Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Silentgoldfish \*  
> \*\*Since the original question’s been answered can I do a small hijack?
> 
> I can the first two fingers of each hand pretty much indefinately. Feeling around while doing so I’m pretty sure it’s the first joint cracking rather than the knuckle. Since Cecil says you should only be able to make a crack every 15 minutes or so what’s making the sound? \*\*

Bone on Bone maybe? Or more likely ligaments/tendons snapping over the knuckle (fast enough to make a popping sound).

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**Author:** ![Steak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Steak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steak)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracking-your-knuckles/137045/6 "2002-11-17T05:19:24Z")

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Sorry about posting this without checking the archives first. I know this is frowned upon. Thanx for the link DarrenS