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HEALTH
Your Bod
Is cracking your knuckles bad for you?
Make a bet with your brother because you’ll win. Studies show that popping your joints does not make them bigger, nor does it cause any other long-term harm.
Fact is, there’s fluid in the joints, and those fluids contain a gas called nitrogen. When you pop your knuckles, the gas can release a snapping or cracking sound. Another cause for the cracking might be ligaments—tethers that hold your bones together—tightening when your joints move quickly, according to Dr. Edward G. McFarland, Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Baltimore.
While you’re probably not hurting yourself, it wouldn’t hurt to give your knuckles a break (not that kind of break).
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