I’ve got my fair share of unconscious habits: running my hands through my hair, tapping my feet, pursing my lips when I’m concentrating—and, of course, cracking my knuckles. That last one is perhaps ...

I have a routine for when I get home from work: Crack each toe, then my ankles, both knees, pelvic bone (a particularly good one), twist-crack my lower back, both shoulders, my wrists, then each and ...

The 40 participants included 30 with a history of habitual knuckle cracking and 10 without. Some said they had never intentionally cracked their knuckles; others were habitual, cracking them up to 20 ...

Cracking your knuckles might feel satisfying, but it often earns disapproving looks or even dire warnings. For decades, people have believed that this seemingly harmless habit could lead to arthritis ...

Whether you love it or hate it, cracking knuckles is a common habit we've likely all done at some point. It's one of life's simple pleasures for some people, who crave the satisfying "pop" and ...

Hearing “snap, crackle, pop!” with no visible sign of the Rice Krispie trio can only mean one thing: snapping joints—likely knuckle cracking, to be more specific. Whether or not the sensation happens ...

I was seven years old when I first saw someone with severe rheumatoid arthritis. I had just met one of my grandmother’s cousins, whose swollen joints and gnarled fingers fascinated and terrified me. I ...

I’ve got my fair share of unconscious habits: running my hands through my hair, tapping my feet, pursing my lips when I’m concentrating—and, of course, cracking my knuckles. That last one is perhaps ...

Many believe cracking knuckles weakens grip. However, scientific studies show this habit does not reduce grip strength. Research also indicates no strong link to arthritis. A doctor even cracked one ...

This article was medically reviewed by M. Elaine Husni, MD, MPH, of the rheumatologic and immunologic disease department at Cleveland Clinic. I’ve got my fair share of unconscious habits: running my ...