Your Medical Questions Fact Checked

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]Let's address a few interesting medical questions you want to know. I'm Dr. Ziki. I'm a boardcertified muscularkeeletal radiologist.

[00:00:07]>> Does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis?

[00:00:09]>> This is a myth. That sound is just gas bubbles being released from inside of the joint fluid. It's usually harmless.

[00:00:15]However, though, if you do it constantly for years, some studies have suggested a slight reduction in your grip strength over time, just not arthritis.

[00:00:23]>> Does cold or rainy weather make your joints ache?

[00:00:25]>> Actually, yes. And here's why. I have another video specifically addressing this same topic. Now, when the atmospheric or the barometric pressure drops before a storm, the tissues around your joints expand slightly. If you already have some joint damage, a baseline or arthritis or an orthopedic implants, those tissues around your joints are a little bit more sensitive to that expansion. So, you get to feel that change.

[00:00:47]>> Does drinking milk prevent bone fractures?

[00:00:50]>> This is a myth. Calcium is essential to build your bones. But simply drinking milk as an adult, it won't protect your bones the way that you think. What actually builds and maintains bone density in adults is weightbearing exercises like walking, running, lifting. That mechanical stress is what tells your bones to stay stronger.

[00:01:07]>> If you can still move a bone, that means it's not broken.

[00:01:10]>> This is one of the most dangerous false statements I've encountered. You can absolutely move a fractured bone. The degree of displacement of a fracture varies. So a non-displaced fracture might still allow you to move the bone, but if you move it, you might worsen the fracture by displacing the further. So if there's significant pain, swelling, and tenderness after an injury, it's best to have this checked out. Don't rely on movements to rule out a fracture.

[00:01:34]>> Do heavy backpacks cause scoliosis in kids?

[00:01:37]>> This is a myth. Uh heavy backpacks can cause muscle fatigue. They can cause shoulder pain. They can cause poor posture, but they don't create the structural sideways spinal curves that define scoliosis. Scoliosis has genetic and developmental causes. The back package is not one of them.

[00:01:52]>> Can you pop a rib out of place from just coughing?

[00:01:55]>> Yes, and most people have never heard of it. It's called slipping rib syndrome.

[00:01:59]One of your lower ribs can partially shift out of its normal position, causing sharp pain under your rib cage.

[00:02:04]It's rare, but it's real. So, if you have intense pain under your rib cage after a hard cough or sneeze, it's worth having this checked out.

[00:02:12]>> Are double-jointed people born with extra joints?

[00:02:14]>> Nobody really has uh extra joints.

[00:02:17]People who are doublejinted simply have naturally looser ligaments around your joints. This allows them to move beyond the normal range of motion. The medical term for this is hypermobility. It can actually cause joint pain and instability later if it's not managed properly. Your body is way more complex than the advice that you grew up with.

[00:02:35]So follow for more simplified medical breakdowns like