As children, many of us were scared by images of mean old ladies with gnarled hands going after small children. (Think the witch in the story of Hansel and Gretel.) Most women with knobby knuckles, however, are displaying the mark of HAND OSTEOARTHRITIS, not of meanness. These painful bones growths on the fingers are unfortunate signs of aging that are especially common in older women. They are sometimes medically called HEBERDEN'S NODE or BOUCHARD'S NODE, depending on which finger and which joint is affected.
It is long been believed that frequently cracking your knuckles can lead to arthritis. There is, however, no evidence to support this theory. On the other hand, frequent knuckle popping can cause soft-tissue damage in the joints, as well as a decrease in the hand's gripping ability.
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