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If you're a regular knuckle cracker then you've likely heard people throughout your life, probably including your mom, tell you off for doing it and claiming that it'll damage your bones over time.
Studies have shown this to largely be a myth, proving that there's no link between habitual knuckle cracking and conditions like arthritis even when conducted over decades, but that doesn't mean that it's without its risks.
One simulation shows these risks in detail, revealing why your knuckles can produce that ever-satisfying crack in the first place, so if you're a lover of the habit you might want to check it out.
Created by simulation king Zack D. Films on YouTube, the video shows that putting pressure against your knuckles causes the space in-between the join to stretch, prompting gas bubbles to appear and then pop when the pressure drops, producing the signature cracking sound.
As mentioned, this is a completely harmless activity that some people find both easier and more satisfying than others, yet if you're not careful you could end up damaging your hands if you try again too soon afterwards.
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It takes around 30 minutes for the bubbles to regenerate and come back within your knuckles, which is why going to crack them again too soon afterwards can produce a disappointing and nonexistent result.
While most people would simply realize that they have to wait a little longer, some might take this as a challenge and push extra hard on their knuckles to force a crack that's never going to arrive.
Using too much force can even cause you to press too hard on the wrong spot, leading to risks including a dislocated or even broken finger as a result — not nice!
This thankfully would take more force than most people would be willing to enact without the satisfaction of a cracked knuckle, but it's definitely something to consider before you next engage in the habit as it could be more dangerous than you think.
One commenter noted that they "never imagined the 'crack' sound was caused by gas bubbles," whereas predictably plenty of others have taken the video as an excuse to crack their own hands, with some boasting that their fingers can be heard from 'ten rooms away'.
Not everyone is blessed with the ability to crack their knuckles unfortunately, although after watching this video you might consider yourself to be one of the lucky ones.
