Growing up, our parents sometimes warned us that cracking our knuckles will “cause arthritis.” Fortunately, those who like to lean back in their chair and give their knuckles a good crack probably don’t have too much to worry about. There is no medical evidence that habitual knuckle-cracking leads to arthritis.

The sound of the knuckle-cracking is believed to be caused by the joints in the fingers rapidly separating and forming a gas bubble which quickly collapses. It is true that repeatedly cracking your joints can sometimes cause soreness (as well as possibly irritate your coworkers) so it’s best not to overindulge!