When you stretch or pull a joint—like when cracking your knuckles—the space between the bones increases. This drop in pressure causes gases like carbon dioxide to form a bubble.

It might make you cringe, or it might bring you sweet, satisfying relief. Cracking your knuckles is one of those oddly divisive habits. Some people do it absentmindedly, while others can't stand ...

University of Alberta. (2015, April 15). Cracking your knuckles: What really happens inside your joints?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 2, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com / releases / 2015 / 04 ...

Cracking your knuckles is a great way to loosen up your fingers when they feel stiff or tense. And now there’s an explanation as to what produces the mysterious popping noise that comes with it.

There is a common myth that, if you crack your knuckles too much, you get arthritis. This isn't true (which is why it's called a myth). In reality, your body has a number of different joints, and ...

State of the art ultrasound technology has revealed what happens inside your body when you crack your knuckles. And scientists claim that while some people cringe at the joint popping habit ...

Here’s what actually happens when you crack your knuckles Richard Hartley-Parkinson. Published December 1, 2015 6:51am Updated December 11, 2019 12:06pm Share this with. Comments. Ultrasound ...

This Is What Actually Happens Every Time You Crack Your Knuckles. by Sean Levinson. Feb. 18, 2015. Cracking your knuckles is a great way to loosen up your fingers when they feel stiff or tense.

After you crack your knuckles, it takes about 20 minutes for the nitrogen bubbles to form again. That's why you can't crack the same knuckle twice in quick succession.

In a way, when you crack your knuckles, you’re giving your fingers a case of the vapors. (Kawchuk likes that comparison. "That's a great way of saying it," he says.) ...