Does lifting heavy weights make your knuckles bigger?

huango
huango Posts: 1,007 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does lifting heavy weights make your knuckles bigger?

I switched to heavy lifting, from cardio, about 3 years ago and while my body weight is still the same, my engagement ring and wedding bands are so tight that I can barely put them on nor remove them, even with suds and water or lotion.
Once the rings are on, they’re not tight. My fingers are not puffy or swollen.

I’m trying to lose about 5% body fat and ~10pounds.
Hoping that the weight/fat loss would help get my rings on/off easier.
Or is it just wishful thinking?

I really don’t want to have to stretch the rings, and definitely don’t want to have to replace them.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts/experience.
Amanda

Replies

  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    Not that I know of? Maybe you've built up a little extra tissue and your ligaments are probably stronger. I've been lifting for just over a year and noticed no change in the size of my hands.(I have fairly boney knuckles so any change would be fairly apparent.)
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    Sounds like water retention to me.
  • Soundwave79
    Soundwave79 Posts: 469 Member
    I've seen articles about one of the benefits of lifting heavy weight is increases to bone density. I'd have to assume with all the weight bearing the hands do, it would hold true for them as well. But then again I've been lifting heavy for years and haven't really noticed it being any easier/harder to get my wedding ring on or off.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Do you have arthritis maybe? I could see swelling of joints from the stress of lifting in a situation like that.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    My fingers are so much smaller now that my rings just drop off if I'm not careful (I can't resize one, and the other I will probably resize soon).

    Anyways, swollen knuckles is a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis which can affect anyone at any age. Its worth getting checked out if you haven't gained weight and your knuckles are larger.
  • huango
    huango Posts: 1,007 Member
    Hmmm... interesting idea: rheumatoid arthritis.
    I'll read up more about it, but I don't have any visual swelling nor pain nor fever or anything.
    Maybe it's early stages of RA.

    I don't have any of these symptoms:

    The 12 rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and signs discussed in this article include the following:
    Fatigue
    Joint pain
    Joint tenderness
    Joint swelling
    Joint redness
    Joint warmth
    Joint stiffness
    Loss of joint range of motion
    Many joints affected (polyarthritis)
    Limping
    Joint deformity
    Both sides of the body affected (symmetric)
  • michiann80
    michiann80 Posts: 1 Member
    @huango This is happening to me right now too! My fingers are not swollen, just my knuckles. And they don't hurt at all. I just can't get my rings over my knuckles! And I've been lifting heavier and doing more push ups and burpees lately. My rings used to slide on and off with no problem, even when I was pregnant and over weight. Did you ever figure out what the issue was?? It's driving me crazy!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    Soundwave79 wrote: »
    I've seen articles about one of the benefits of lifting heavy weight is increases to bone density.

    but strictly speaking 'density' should not mean an increase in the circumference of anyone's knuckles. density means more tissue (bone) packed into the same amount of space.

    @huango i don't wear rings so i don't have that way of measuring. and i cna't say that i've observed any difference since i began lifting, apart from maybe a tiny bit of joint deformity that may or may not have pre-dated my lifting life anyway.

    but i can comment that i'm very right handed (apart from having taught myself to write with the left one as well, out of boredom a few years ago). and my dominant hand always has been bigger than the left one. bigger knuckles, for sure.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    Sounds completely unlikely.
    Knuckles are bones and cartilage and ligaments. I have never heard that weight lifting stress will cause any of those things to grow. You don't see 7-foot-tall lifters, do you?
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  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    zachbonner_ wrote: »
    GiddyupTim wrote: »
    Sounds completely unlikely.
    Knuckles are bones and cartilage and ligaments. I have never heard that weight lifting stress will cause any of those things to grow. You don't see 7-foot-tall lifters, do you?

    Wolff's law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolff's_law

    Hmmmmm
    Maybe?
    But Wolff was like two centuries ago.
    Greater density. Yes! Appreciably bigger? I dunno. I never heard a weight lifter say, "Yeah, I got about 5 inches taller by lifting."
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    This thread is 18 months old.
  • huango
    huango Posts: 1,007 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    This thread is 18 months old.

    I have an update.

    For the this year 2018, I've lighten up my weight training load, and
    added more yoga (because I injured my periformus muscle), and
    ==>> I am now able to get my engagement ring on/off.

    But I still can't get the wedding band on/off easily.

    So my conclusion for MY situation is that:
    - no, I do not have arthritis,
    - yes, heavy weight training DOES impact the size of your hands/knuckles.


    What about your experience?

    Amanda


  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Heavy lifting for 4+ years with no issues re my knuckles.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    edited August 2018
    haven't noticed any difference. However the weather does have an impact. I notice my ring is a lot tighter in the summer. My husband works outside and he can't even wear his ring in the winter because it will just fall off.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Heavy lifting for 4+ years with no issues re my knuckles.

    Lifting about the same amount of time and no knuckle growth.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    I've actually had this issue recently myself, but I think one of my rings is bent because I used to lift with it before I got a silicone one. I'm having the toughest time getting it on and off. The other think I've thought is that I lift in the morning and my fingers might be puffy/swollen from sleep.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
    edited August 2018
    I need to have mine resized smaller and I lift, although not super heavy.

    I use a silicone band to lift, and most of the time now as my wedding set is too big. I don't want to have it resized until I'm at my final size and maintained for a while. I also put a silicone band on over my wedding set if I want to wear it.

    So no, my knuckles are not bigger.
  • auzziecawth
    auzziecawth Posts: 244 Member
    This would make me sad, I like my small dainty fingers lol.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Four years lifting. Knuckles still normal.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Heh, I'm sure it's possible but fairly unlikely. I've been powerlifting consistently for 7 years (weights over 400, even 500lbs on a weekly basis) and my wedding ring actually fits looser than it used to. Used to be a little tough to get over the knuckle but it nearly falls off sometimes now when I'm dehydrated.
  • barbdoyle4
    barbdoyle4 Posts: 1 Member
    I am in my mid 50's and have had the same experience. I have worn the same ring size for decades and 10+ lbs weight gains and losses through the years, but it wasn't until I was about 8 months into regular weight training that my rings don't fit. Could be aging, but glad I am not alone!
  • tmac68w
    tmac68w Posts: 19 Member
    I think another possible reason to consider is the type of lifts/exercises you are doing compared to the previous. For example, if you are now incorporating more exercises requiring grip strength then it will affect digit size(fingers and hand tissue). Possible but may not be.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    I suppose that lifting helps sustain, and maybe even increase, bone density. But, making bones grow? I've simply never heard of that and I have to be skeptical of that.

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