Is cracking my knuckles harmless?

I read somewhere that cracking one’s knuckles is harmless. I used to think that it is a bad habit that can damage one’s fingers.   Kindly give me more information about this.

Henry (by SMS)

Knuckle cracking is a common behaviour enjoyed by many. Some people use it to release tension and to deal with nervous energy. For some, it is an annoying habit. The “cracking” of knuckle cracking seems to be produced by increasing the space between finger joints. This causes gas bubbles in the joint fluid to collapse or burst. It’s a bit like blowing up a balloon and then stretching the walls of the balloon outward until it pops. Cracking the knuckles is probably harmless. Although there have been occasional reports of dislocations or tendon injuries from overly vigorous knuckle cracking, such problems seem very much to be the exception and not the rule.