Skip to main content
The Western Journal of Medicine logoLink to The Western Journal of Medicine
. 1975 May;122(5):377–379.

The Consequences of Habitual Knuckle Cracking

Robert L Swezey 1,2, Stuart E Swezey 1,2
PMCID: PMC1129752  PMID: 1130029

Abstract

Habitual knuckle cracking in children has been considered a cause of arthritis. A survey of a geriatric patient population with a history of knuckle cracking failed to show a correlation between knuckle cracking and degenerative changes of the metacarpal phalangeal joints.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. KELLGREN J. H., LAWRENCE J. S., BIER F. GENETIC FACTORS IN GENERALIZED OSTEO-ARTHROSIS. Ann Rheum Dis. 1963 Jul;22:237–255. doi: 10.1136/ard.22.4.237. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. KELLGREN J. H., MOORE R. Generalized osteoarthritis and Heberden's nodes. Br Med J. 1952 Jan 26;1(4751):181–187. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.4751.181. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Swezey R. L., Peter J. B., Evers P. L. Osteoarthritis of the metacarpophalangeal joint: hook-like osteophytes. Arthritis Rheum. 1969 Aug;12(4):405–410. doi: 10.1002/art.1780120407. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Unsworth A., Dowson D., Wright V. 'Cracking joints'. A bioengineering study of cavitation in the metacarpophalangeal joint. Ann Rheum Dis. 1971 Jul;30(4):348–358. doi: 10.1136/ard.30.4.348. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Western Journal of Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES