Is knuckle cracking harmful?

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Cracking your knuckles is a common habit, and for most people it is not harmful when done occasionally and without force. The popping sound occurs when gas bubbles in the fluid surrounding the joints rapidly collapse or form as the joint is stretched. Current evidence suggests that knuckle cracking does not cause arthritis or permanent joint damage, although excessive or forceful cracking may sometimes lead to temporary irritation or discomfort.

Source

Yildizgören, M. T., Ekiz, T., Nizamogullari, S., Turhanoglu, A. D., Guler, H., Ustun, N., Kara, M., & Özçakar, L. (2017). Effects of habitual knuckle cracking on metacarpal cartilage thickness and grip strength. Hand surgery & rehabilitation, 36(1), 41–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hansur.2016.09.001

Additional Reading

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-cracking-your-knuckles-bad-for-you

https://www.keckmedicine.org/blog/is-cracking-your-neck-back-or-knuckles-good-for-you/

https://www.loyolamedicine.org/newsroom/blog-articles/cracking-joints-facts-myths