Buzz
Although creaky joints might seem like a sign of aging or physical decline, the noise from your knees is usually harmless. Let’s explore why joints make these sounds and how to determine whether there’s a real issue.
Most clicking sounds are simply caused by your body’s components shifting into place
If you hear a snap or click during certain movements, it's often because muscles, tendons, or other surrounding structures are moving over one another. This is particularly common in the shoulders, says orthopedic surgeon Kim Stearns of the Cleveland Clinic, due to the complex range of motion in the shoulder joint.
If this occurs during your workout, a good warm-up and stretch before the motion causing the sound can often help. Loosening up your muscles and tendons can reduce the likelihood of noise.
Creaky joints are common, even in those with healthy joints
The creaking or crackling sound heard from joints like the knees is called crepitus, and it’s more prevalent in older adults compared to younger individuals. People with osteoarthritis often experience crepitus, which can lead them to worry about developing arthritis or causing damage to their joints when they move.
Luckily, that’s not the case. Crepitus is common in both individuals with arthritis and those without it. As we age, the cartilage in our knees becomes rougher, and rough cartilage tends to produce more noise when it moves, compared to smoother cartilage, writes Michael Stuart, an orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic.
Ironically, many believe they should avoid knee exercises because of the crunching and creaking sounds, but Stuart highlights that stronger leg muscles will benefit your knees in the long term. Exercises that involve the knees can help, even if you have osteoarthritis. The Arthritis Foundation points out on their website that “exercise is considered the most effective, non-drug treatment for reducing pain and improving movement in patients with osteoarthritis.”
Is it harmful to crack your knuckles or other joints?
A single “pop” that you can’t repeat is typically caused by a gas bubble inside the joint. Joints are encased in a fibrous tissue called a capsule, which contains synovial fluid, a lubricant that helps your bones slide smoothly against each other.
The most accepted theory behind knuckle cracking is that bubbles form and burst within the synovial fluid, and when these bubbles pop, they produce that signature cracking sound. The reason you can't crack your knuckles twice in quick succession is that the bubble has already been popped, and there’s no new one ready to burst. Give it some time, and another might form.
But is it harmful? There's no concrete evidence supporting that idea. Several experts have declared that cracking your knuckles isn’t problematic, including one doctor who cracked the knuckles of only his left hand for 50 years, using his right hand as a control. He found no noticeable difference in the joint health of his right and left hands.
When should you consider seeking medical advice for creaky joints?
If you experience pain or swelling along with the sounds from your joints, it’s time to consult a doctor. However, pain or swelling in a joint is a sign of an issue even if it doesn't accompany creaky noises, so the noises themselves aren’t the problem.
A single ‘pop’ can sometimes happen when ligaments or tendons tear, as anyone who has torn their ACL can attest. The sound itself isn’t the concern; following that ‘pop,’ you’ll experience pain, swelling, or even instability in the joint. (After tearing my ACL, my knee felt loose and unstable.) Seek medical attention for the injury, and be sure to mention the ‘pop’ when explaining what occurred.
