Is popping your knuckles bad for you?

Despite common misconceptions, infrequent and moderate popping of the knuckles has not been proven harmful as of 2014, according to WebMD. However, excessive or extreme popping can cause pain to the knuckle joints and is generally viewed as socially unacceptable.

A common perception is that knuckle poppers face greater risk of arthritis. However, no scientific evidence supports this concern as of 2014, according to both WebMD and Time. People suffering from joint inflammation, bursitis or tendinitis may notice inadvertent popping of the knuckles or other affected joints. Such popping sounds are the result of swollen tissue around the joint area.