I am 18 years old and I have been cracking my knuckles for about 4-5 years now. It has become a habit that I can't get rid of. Lately I have even been cracking my wrists. I have started to notice pain in my hands and wrists and my knuckles and wrist joints are getting bigger. I have avoided seeing a doctor in fear of people finding out about my problem. How serious is my condition and what should I do. Please help.

Good question!!! The last I read many years ago, I don't think that joint cracking causes arthritis. But I haven't read up on the latest news about that, so I really don't know.

All I can tell you is that I stopped cracking my joints many years ago. It was embarassing that when I ran as a teenager, my joints would continue to crack while running. I think that it's a nervous habit that for me was extremely difficult to quit.

It literally took decades for this cracking to completely go away from me while running(after I quit about age 21 or so), such that today when I run (I'm now 51), there's no problem with this.

There's a technical reason why the joints pop with that noise when you "break" them that I can't remember now. But everytime you snap them, the body has to rebuild this joint again somehow. I think it's something like gas between the joints that's released. Maybe someone out there can fill you in with more details.

One time when I was 15 or 16, I got a very bad flu. Afterwards, I got a secondary infection in my knuckles that the doctor treated with antibiotics. It got me to thinking that what I was doing to my body wasn't all that great. It took me years later, to finally quit.

I hope that helps somewhat.

You can read more about cracking knuckles and joints on the internet by typing in some search words. Last night, I was surprised that you could find so many articles on the internet about that subject.

Apparently, there's still a debate going on whether cracking your joints causes arthritis, because you read both positive and negative positions about this. But generally, it points out that it's probably best to quit. I know that it's extremely hard. That's the other reason that I quit, as I didn't like something having control over me.

Hi there. I started cracking my knuckles at a very young age maybe 4-5 years old. I don't recommend anyone to do it if you haven't started. I started when my older brother said let me see your hand and he popped my knuckle well then I was hooked. Most of the time I think it's a nervous habit but I also have times where my fingers just ache and need popped. Well just last week I started going to a chiropractor and today I spoke with him about Arthritis and cracking you back neck fingers etc. He told me which everyone will get a different answer that you can pop away not a problem he did say that it's fluid you are releasing when you pop your knuckles he described it like a wine bottle he said with the cork how you get a popping sound when you pop it off fast and then there is sometimes wine or fluid released but he said if you go slow and you don't hear a popping sound it's like taking a cork off slow he said you still do the trick but it didn't making a popping sound cause you did it slow and the fluid didn't rush out fast. So in other words he said the popping sound is from the fast release of fluid and that it wouldn't hurt you cause there are just 2 joints however he said not to pop your neck back shoulders etc. because there are multiple joints and that when you pop it will feel good for a while and then over time it will stop helping and then you are in a world of hurting. He said he can not crack his own back or neck he said he used to but it was before he went to school for Chiropractic care. He said if you turn to look around when you back up a car or whatever and you pop he said that's ok but to force it he said he don't recommend it cause you will be popping the wrong joints due to the multiple jointed areas in those areas. But he said fingers wrists toes etc pop away he said if you want. Yeah over time we all become more stiff it's not necessarily due to the cracking of our knuckes but it's due to getting older and we will start stiffening up. However I know for a fact cracking my knuckles has caused them to get bigger which is another reason if you don't do it don't start it. But if you do my dr. said it won't cause arthritis. Gee I know someone who never cracked their bones and they are all crippled up in their hands and joints from Arthritis. So sometimes it's things that you just can't prevent. After an ajustment on my neck and back I pop like crazy and he said that's normal just don't force yourself to pop he said cause you will be popping the wrong joints and cause a problem but I hope that helps anyone that reads this.

I've read in a few places that while there isn't evidence of knuckle-cracking causing arthiritis, it does weaken your fingers &grip and it can cause swelling. I went through a similar time where I could not stop cracking my knuckles and I started getting really sharp pains in my fingers, but now that I'm trying not to do it as much it doesn't hurt anymore. =]

I don't doubt that for sure. I don't know if it causes it or not every person gives a different answer but that's what I was told but I don't know for certain myself. Thanks for sharing that info though.