Yahoo Lifestyle If You Notice Your Knees Making This Sound, See a Doctor ASAP
The human body makes strange noises when something’s amiss. A growling tummy can mean you're low on food. Wheezing from the chest can imply a respiratory infection. So when your knees make snap, crackle and pop sounds, it’s normal to feel a bit concerned.
Crepitus is a grinding or clicking sound made when a joint is moved. “It’s a normal sound made when moving joints, similar to popping knuckles,” says Dr. Clint Soppe, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics. As bad as creaky knees sound, medical experts say it’s usually not a cause for concern unless it causes pain.
How Common Is Crepitus?
Crepitus gets more common as you age, but it is possible in younger people. Soppe recalls seeing young adults whose knees made a crunching sound when they bent down. They would come to the office because they were embarrassed by the sound, but their MRI and anatomy showed no problems with a joint. A January 2025 review estimated that 41 percent of the general population has knee crepitus.
Creaky joints typically happen in the knees, explains Rebecca Gonzalez, PT, MS, a senior specialist physical therapist at Staten Island University Hospital. However, it can occur in any joint. She has seen crepitus in the shoulders, elbows and neck.
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What Causes Crepitus?
The cracking sound comes from tiny air bubbles within the synovial fluid—the lubricating fluid surrounding the joints—popping from pressure changes during the bending or stretching of the joints. “Essentially, the sound is created by the sudden release of gas trapped in the joint space,” Gonzalez says. The action resembles the tiny nitrogen gas bubbles released when you crack your knuckles.
Related: Does Cracking Your Knuckles Cause Arthritis?
What’s the Link Between Creptius and Arthritis?
For a majority of cases, crepitus is a non-painful sound. However, there are times when crepitus is a symptom of arthritis. Research shows there is a strong link between crepitus and knee osteoarthritis.
“When we get arthritis, the sound is made when bone rubs on bone,” Soppe explains. People with osteoarthritis lose cartilage, which allows bones to move. When cartilage is damaged or degenerated, bones rub against each other, creating a crunchy sound.
Related: How to Keep Joints Healthy and Fend Off Arthritis
When To See a Doctor About Crepitus
Soppe stresses that most people don’t have to worry about crepitus. People only need to see a doctor when there’s pain or stiffness associated with the creaking sound since it may indicate a joint injury or arthritis. Other signs to seek professional help are when you have trouble walking or the feeling of your knee giving out.
Since crepitus is not a condition, there is no cure for it. There’s also no way to prevent the sound from happening. “It's nothing to worry about, as long as it's not painful and it's not an indication that your joint is degenerating or you're wearing out the cartilage,” Soppe says.
For those who have pain or stiffness, doctors can conduct tests to check for joint injury or osteoarthritis. Rodriguez says the pain can be alleviated by taking NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or going to physical therapy. There, doctors can work on improving joint mobility and reducing inflammation in the affected area.
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Sources:
Clint Soppe, MD is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in California.
Rebecca Gonzalez, PT, MS, is a senior specialist physical therapist at Staten Island University Hospital in New York.
