Cracking your knuckles

I've wondered about this for a long time and I've finally found the answer. I crack my knuckles and my neck all the time and I had no idea if there were any long-term repercussions. Everybody's heard the story that cracking your knuckles will cause you to have arthritis later in life and I've heard it countless times from my friends. The truth is if your mum tells you you're going to get arthritis, she's just passing on something someone made up a long time ago. There is absolutely no scientific evidence that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis.

What's with the sound? The most widely accepted theory is cavitation within the joint—small cavities of partial vacuum form in the fluid and then rapidly collapse, producing a sharp sound. This explains the popping that can occur in any joint, such as during spinal manipulation. Synovial fluid cavitation is the most likely theory and substantial evidence exists in support of it. Cracking your knuckles releases gases from the joints.

The long-term consequences of this practice have not been studied thoroughly, and the scientific evidence is inconclusive. The common parental advice "cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis" is not supported by any evidence. Joint cracking relieves excess pressure in joints. The "non-evidence" proves that it is not worth giving up such a productive habit.

Source: Kidzworld, Wikipedia