Maybe when you’re nervous or waiting impatiently, you crack your knuckles. Or maybe you have a close friend or relative for the love of them cannot stop creating that little “popping sound” that drives you bonkers. But what is it exactly? When the finger is maneuvered into a position not achievable by the muscles found in the hand, bubbles of gas in the synoviial fluid surrounding the joint explode, causing the little “crack” that you hear. After you have cracked your knuckle(s) it may take several minutes, to several hours for the gasses to re-disolve into the synovial fluid so that they may be cracked again. Are there repercussions to this timeless habit? Only one study has been conducted to find out the truths of any repercussions. 300 knuckle crackers were studied over a period of which only small side-effects were found. These damages were soft tissue damage and a decrease in grip strength. No correlation between the habit and arthritis were found, but because there has been no long term study, there is still the possibility. The verdict: Crack all you want. Unless you need an extra strong grip, crack to your heart’s content whether it be just a bad habit, or a way to relieve your nervousness before one of Mr. Anderson’s challenging in class essays.