Crack Your Knuckles? SCIENCE! Says – Go Ahead

The world is composed of two groups of people. You either crack your knuckles or you can't stand to hear other people cracking their knuckles. The number of people who crack their knuckles could be anywhere from 25% to 54% (why they can't narrow it down, I don't know) I'm not a fan. I HAVE occasionally cracked my knuckles, but this happens rarely. And fairly quietly. Not so for SOME people I know. (This would be where my younger daughter is smirking, somewhere, while she reads this on her phone)

If you are in that group, I have good news. According to CNN.com, despite what everybody tells you, one of the world's most respected hand surgeons, Dr. Robert Szabo, has published a study which leads him to state, "After reviewing the science, I believe strongly that it's not harmful." And in fact, he says based on his findings, cracking your joints is actually GOOD for them. Other studies have suggested this, but Dr Szabo's research included watching people crack their joints with ultrasound, so he could examine the process and see exactly what was happening when people crack their knuckles. And what was happening was people were actually loosening their joints and giving them more range of motion. Like they were trying to do. Before people started scolding them.

So, there it is. Go ahead - crack away. Just not during the real quiet moments in dramatic TV shows.

Here's the story.

Banana Don and Stephanie McCoy amuse and thrill you every weekday morning from 5:30 – 10AM on the radio at 100.7 WITL.

Banana Don can be reached via email at don.jefferson@townsquaremedia.com and on Twitter at @WITLBananaDon and @WITLFM. Also, Facebook friend Banana Don and Stephanie at Facebook.com/BananaStephanie and Facebook.com/WITLFM.