Cracking knuckles probably does not cause arthritis. One report by an arthritis expert makes the case: All his life, he cracked his own knuckles only on one hand; X-rays showed no difference in the two hands. Since the technique different people use or other, as yet undiscovered, variables may matter, no absolute proof of safety exists. But a good guess is, “No.”
Health Hint
A low-fat vegetarian diet may offer special benefits to rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. In one study, patients who ate a vegetarian diet over 3 weeks reported significant improvement in joint tenderness and improvement in blood tests associated with inflammation. Scientists attribute results to the elimination of certain foods in the diet that were somehow aggravating the arthritis.